TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai has accused Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar for trying to fool the people of Goa into believing that Dabolim will remain open after the commissioning of Mopa airport.
Referring to news reports in a section of the national media, Sardesai said that Parrikar, as Defence Minister, has directed the Civil Aviation Minister to re-open the HAL airport at Bangalore by a letter dated December 8. “As everybody is aware, the concession agreement for the new Greenfield airport at Bangalore says that there can be no other airport within a radius of 150 kms. Hence, Parrikar’s request is more of an attempt to create confusion,” he said, while alerting the people that neither HAL nor Dabolim can co-exist with new airports because of the 150 kms clause.
He said Parrikar’s letter to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry is fully in line with all attempts by Parrikar and the present BJP government to confuse all stakeholders in the tourism industry in Goa as far as the issue of Mopa airport is concerned.
The Fatorda MLA has said that the law and order situation in the State during the last three years has gone from bad to worse. “There are reports of major crimes like dacoities and murders practically everyday and the people’s confidence in the police and the government officials has touched an all time low. The Home Minister who happens to be the Chief Minister appears to be more interested in ZP elections and Mopa airport than in saving the lives and property of Goans,” he said.
The Fatorda MLA said that the rising crime graph in the State is an indication of how the Home Ministry has been handled first by Parrikar and now by Parsekar, adding that it is high time that the CM hands over the Home portfolio to a more competent minister.
