A storm is brewing in Pernem. The Goa Kul Mundkar Sangharsh Samiti, along with residents of Per nem taluka and surround ing villages, has submitted a detailed representation to the Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Magis trate of Pernem, opposing the proposed Goa Street Race (Formula-4) at Mopa Airport, citing legal, social, environmental, and public interest concerns. In its objection, the organ isation stated that the pro posed event would require the closure and diversion of public roads for nearly three days, resulting in traffic con gestion and inconvenience to local residents. According to the rep resentation, the affected roads are routinely used to access schools, colleges, hos pitals, markets, workplaces, and other essential services. The Samiti also raised concerns over the alleged exclusion of local residents and land losers from em ployment and business opportunities linked to the airport and its allied activ ities. It claimed that most jobs and commercial con tracts are being awarded to non-local entities, while there is no binding policy to ensure priority for original landowners and residents of Pernem taluka. The representation fur ther stated that this situ ation has led to economic disparity, social discontent, and a growing sense of al ienation among land-losing families, who, it said, have not benefited proportion ately from the develop ment carried out on their acquired land. Along with opposing the proposed race, the Samiti placed several demands be fore the government.
These include a demand for a 37 per cent royalty or revenue share from income generated from the acquired land at Mopa, priority or reservation in government em ployment for land-loser families, and the implementation of skill development and vocational training programmes for local youth. The organisation has also sought priority for local res idents in employment, contracts, tenders, and service-re lated opportunities arising from airport operations and associated infrastructure projects. Other demands include enhanced compensation for acquired land at four times the prevailing market value, land-for-land rehabilitation, and preferential business opportunities for locals within and around the airport ecosystem. In its submission, the Samiti urged the Deputy Collec tor to examine the matter in detail and place its grievanc es before the appropriate government authorities before granting any permission or facilitation for the proposed Formula-4 street race at Mopa Airport. The representation has been signed by office-bearers of the Goa Kul Mundkar Sangharsh Samiti. No official response has been issued so far by the administration regarding the objections raised. “Government has taken around one crore square metres of land, while the requirement was only around 30 lakh square metres. Now different kinds of programmes are being held on the acquired land. Farmers lost their land, which was their source of livelihood. As per rules, farmers should have received compensation at least three times the market value. The money being spent on creating in frastructure for a racing event will not benefit farmers. In other States, farmers are made stakeholders when devel opment projects come up—why is this not happening in Goa? Local affected people have not been compensated properly. Already GMR is doing whatever it wants, and the government’s actions are like adding salt to injuries. Our land is being used, but not for the purpose for which it was acquired. Why is an event being held that has already been rejected elsewhere?” said Dipesh Naik, coordinator of the Goa Kul Mundkar Sangharsh Samiti. Mopa Pidit Xetkari Sangh member Adv Jitendra Gaonkar said, “For everything, GMR is being blamed. If everything is being done by GMR, then where is the gov ernment’s control? It appears that everything is being done by the government, with GMR acting like a puppet. Whenever we raise issues concerning the people of Per nem, the Chief Minister expresses helplessness. If the concession agreement can be changed to allow events, why can it not be changed for the benefit of local youth? There are already two fuel tanks in close proximity to the airport. If something goes wrong, who will take re sponsibility?” Santosh Mandrekar, spokesperson of the Goa Kul Mund kar Sangharsh Samiti, said, “The land on which the airport has come up was given by farmers. They were promised royalty and higher compensation. While the government has failed to fulfil these promises, it is allowing the racing event to be held and spending crores of rupees on it. The Entertainment Society of Goa has signed an agreement with the organisers of the racing event, but the details of this agreement have not been made public.”
