Any movement can succeed if it is based on truth, integrity and issues of substance and if it is led with sincerity, commitment, dedication, perseverance and intelligence. The mining issue is a classic example. The GFDO is not a political entity subsisting on numbers. The village street corner meetings and public meetings are called to educate and create awareness amongst the people on the magnitude of the scam involved. GFDO is confident of succeeding in its objective, especially since the whole Mopa Airport project is an ill-conceived and unviable fixation of the government, flying in the face of facts and figures from expert reports that flatly contradict the logic of this project being executed at great cost to Goa and Goans without any foundation, basis or need.
Is the anti Mopa Airport movement being perceived only as a Salcete movement when it should be a South Goa movement? Why has the GFDO failed to take sections from Canacona, Sanguem, Quepem and other parts on board?
Actually, it is a pan Goa movement, because it is a scam which will affect all of Goa environmentally, socially and economically. It is in fact a situation when State and community resources are being callously squandered at the cost of the community of Goans for the benefit of a few. The Mopa plateau abuts the mountain chain of the Western Ghats, older than the Himalaya mountains and deemed a World Heritage site by UNESCO. As the UNESCO document points out, the Western Ghats of India are a geomorphic feature of immense global importance.
Incidentally, contrary to the implication in the question raised above, the GFDO movement is not confined to Salcete only. It has drawn members and vibrant support from different parts of Goa. Rajendra Kakodkar from Sanvordem, Dilip Hegde from Quepem, Ramkrisha Jhalmi from Savoi Verem (Ponda), Yusuf Sheikh from Vasco and Celso Fernandes of Taleigao are all GFDO members among others. Its meetings have been conducted to educate the people right from Loliem, Canacona, Taleigao, Merces, Agassaim, Santa Cruz, Goa Velha, Siridao, Aldona, Quepem, Savoi Verem etc. besides the villages of South Goa. GFDO is also connected with like-minded people in the heartland of Pernem, viz. Mopa and Tiracol.
