TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Goa’s identity and environment crusader, the late Matanhy Saldanha did not support Mopa airport and the people of Goa should vigorously pursue the demand to revert Dabolim back to its previous status as a civilian airport, Environment Minister Alina Saldanha and wife of the late activist-politician said Wednesday in a Press statement.
“Matanhy, time and again had publicly expressed his opposition to Mopa airport as he was convinced that the small State of Goa could not sustain two international airports. Matanhy was totally focused on the Dabolim airport which he firmly believed was a civilian airport with the Navy in illegal possession of the same,” Alina said, showing signs of firmness in the wake of a statement a couple of weeks ago by Chief Minister implying that Matanhy too supported Mopa.
Speaking on the Mopa airport during the condolence motion moved to mark the first death anniversary of the former Tourism and Environment and Forests Minister, Parrikar had implied that Matanhy too supported the airport, a statement that caused a furore and was exacerbated by Alina’s silence on the issue.
As reported by Herald, Parrikar had said, “We had frank discussions on this issue several times and Matanhy was convinced that Mopa airport was needed”.
Alina, however, sought to defuse the gravity of her statement made Wednesday, defending the chief minister, saying that he had not said that Matanhy supported Mopa on the floor of the House. “With respect to what the Hon’ble Chief Minister is reported to have said to the Press about late Matanhy being in favour of Mopa Airport, even if the two did speak about the Mopa issue, I was not aware of what transpired during the conversation. Besides, on the Mopa airport issue, the Hon’ble Chief Minister has clearly stated on the floor of the House that he had not stated that Matanhy supported Mopa,” Alina argued.
“He (Matanhy) had repeatedly said that he had ample documentary evidence to prove that Dabolim airport is a civilian airport. This evidence is by way of Gazette Notifications right from the time of acquisition of land for the construction of the airport at Dabolim, during the pre-Liberation Colonial rule, to the evidence that the Indian Defence authorities itself considered the Dabolim Airport to be a Civilian Airport,” Alina said.
A copy of the minutes of the meeting of Board of Officers, held on 19/02/1962, at Panjim, under Lt Col Arjinder Singh, Commanding Officer of 17 Para AD RGTT, duly approved by the then Military Governor of Goa, Major General KP Candeth, clearly stated that the Airport at Dabolim was a “Civil Government Property”. “This is a post-Liberation document whose authenticity cannot be challenged,” Alina said.
The Naval authorities should take cognizance of these facts and should vacate Dabolim airport which it is illegally occupying (as War Booty) since 1961. In view of the above, the question of late Matanhy having supported Mopa does not arise,” she said.
“The people of Goa should vigorously pursue the demand to revert Dabolim airport to the civilian authorities,” Alina concluded.
Alina stated that Matanhy had repeatedly said he had ample documentary evidence to prove that Dabolim airport is a civilian airport… by way of Gazette Notifications right from the time of acquisition of land for the construction of the airport at Dabolim…
