TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco on Sunday assured Loutolim villagers he would oppose the proposed airport at Mopa and retain Dabolim as Goa’s lone international airport.
Addressing the locals after the gram sabha, the MLA stated that he shall not allow Mopa to come. “I have opposed the government on Mopa and I shall continue to fight to retain Dabolim,” he said.
“If Mopa is not in the interest of locals, it will affect the State in the event Dabolim is shut down,” he added. As for requirement of land for extending facilities at Dabolim, Pacheco said that government can acquire land that is unused and in procession of BITS Pilani and Birla industry.
Promising the constituents that he shall always fight for what is beneficial for locals, he urged the people to take maximum benefit/advantage of gram sabha and put up proposals for the village development.
Earlier, the gram sabha members of Loutulim once again opposed the Mopa airport, while demanding that Dabolim should be retained as Goa’s lone international airport.
At the Sunday gram sabha, members argued in favour of Dabolim, adding that Dabolim will be shut down in the event Mopa becomes a reality.
Members pointed out that Dabolim airport never belonged to the Navy and demanded the Navy to shift to the Sea Bird, Karwar.
Franky Monteiro stated that though Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has promised to retain Dabolim airport even if Mopa comes in reality, he said that Dabolim would meet the same fate like that of Bangalore.
Local MLA Mickky Pacheco who was invited for the meeting, raised his objection to the Chief Minister’s statement that gram sabha have no legal powers to direct the panchayat bodies in development of villages.
A resolution was taken that decision of gram sabha regarding any development including construction should be final and biding as decisions taken at the gram sabha are for the benefit of the respective village.
The sarpanch Maria Monteiro informed the gram sabha that the panchayat has proposed to take up desilting of nullas in village through NREG.
