PANJIM: Claiming that the Mopa International Airport is not in the interest of Goans, the group, Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO), on Saturday, urged the opposition MLAs to take up the issue in the ongoing session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.
GFDO also expressed fear over the concession agreement between the Goa government and GMR that is developing the airport in the northern-most tip of Goa.
Addressing the media, GFDO Convenor Fr Eremito Rebelo said, “After studying the recent agreement with GMR, and reading about the recent events, it is becoming increasingly clear that the government is flouting its own concessionaire agreement in order to breathe life into this unviable project. Hence it is understandable why the CM is avoiding answering questions about his contentious project. Since the CM has chosen not to answer the people, GFDO has appealed to the opposition MLAs to take up the issue in the ongoing session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.”
He added, “According to the agreement, Goans who are recognised according to the definition of Goan laid down in the IPB Act have to be employed at Mopa but strangely the IPB Act fails to contain any definition for the word Goan and hence the government has to clarify on this of what is the exact definition of Goan as per the agreement and what is the penalty if GMR fails to hire Goans.”
He further said that the agreement shockingly states that the government need not take back the 381 acres of land until the year 2076 in case the agreement is terminated. The agreement also states that if the government does not give GMR the right of way (road access) within six months the government is liable to pay Rs 3.60 lakh per day.
“Why did the government sign a one-sided agreement with GMR wherein GMR gets the advantages even if the project is terminated?” Rebelo asked.
Asked if they (GFDO) had approached any opposition MLAs, Rebelo said that they had met Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Luizinho Faleiro.
