Decree-Law No. 10/2016 approving the General Rules of the Territorial Land Use Planning (POT) of the Ataúro Island.

This Decree-Law, consisting of 18 articles divided into five Chapters, establishes the general norms regulating the Territorial Land Use Planning (POT) of the Ataúro Island, including its territorial management instruments, as well as actions, programmes, projects and any licensing or authorizations, whether public or private. This Decree-Law applies to the entire territory of the Ataúro island and to the maritime protection area of the East coast.This POT establishes the regimes for the use and exploitation of soil and natural resources and for safeguarding natural resources and values ​​and establishes the management regime in order to guarantee the conservation and enhancement of the landscape, natural heritage, safeguarding and promoting cultural heritage by improving the quality of life and sustainable economic and social development of the community, in the respect of the traditional customs and practices, namely the local Tara Bandu, promoting women's participation and gender equality. The general objectives of the POT of Ataúro are: a) promote the participation of the local population in the areas of economic development, for improving their quality of life; b) establish an urbanization plan, ensuring a new space for the housing construction for each family; c) promote the protection of the natural and cultural heritage, encompassing emerging activities, among which is tourism; d) ensure a strategy for the use, conservation and management allowing the achievement of the objectives that led to the creation of the Special Zones of Social Market Economy of Timor-Leste; e) establish the regime for the management of human activities compatible with the protection and enhancement of natural resources and regulate the introduction and development of new economic activities and infrastructures, with a view to improving the community's living conditions; recognize the importance of Tara Bandu as local customary law and the validity of its actions whenever compatible with the principles established in this Regulation and in the Basic Environmental Legislation.