Team Herald
MARGAO: The Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim Civic and Consumer Forum and Cansaulim Villagers Action Committee have expressed shock at RDA Minister Alina Saldanha’s statement that she was kept in the dark about the helicopter joy rides in her constituency. They have also demanded that GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral shift the rides out of their villages and rubbished his claims that the operators had obtained permission and licences to conduct the sorties at Hotel Park Hyatt in Arossim.
“What is shocking is that Alina Saldanha, a minister in the Goa government, expressed in public that she was kept in the dark about the air operations, such as helicopter rides, in her constituency, which could have serious security ramifications. It is pertinent to note that the Bombay High Court had stopped the use of the helipad on top of the Ambani building as it posed a threat to public safety,” the two groups said.
They stated that Cabral, as a government official, was obligated to put the references of the permissions in public domain, ideally with the Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim panchayat. They also stated that he was obligated to keep the locals updated about the happenings in their locality and not justify his wrongdoings and indulge in damage control after opposition to the “nonsensical and whimsical” helicopter rides, which they said disturbed the peace and tranquility of their villages and jeopardizing the safety of citizens.
“We take with a pinch of salt the tall claims of Cabral that high-end tourists will descend into Goa by the droves to enjoy his heli-rides. Foreign guests at Park Hyatt, Arossim, and Kenilworth, Utorda, have expressed their displeasure on record at the nuisance these helicopter rides are creating and the stench of the helicopter fuel,” said the two groups.
They continued, “Cabral states that the villagers of CAC have to bear with the noise of the Konkan railway, South Western railway, besides the fighter jets ‘Sea Harriers’ flying at low altitudes. The affected villagers would like to ask Cabral if he wants to add to the cacophony by forcing his heli-rides on us, which also poses a serious risk to our lives through unauthorised air operations.”
CACCCF and CVAC reiterated that Cabral should move the heli-rides out of the village and “Leave the villagers to live in peace and contentment with their environment and nature”.
