One of Goa’s ambitious infrastructure projects, the second
international airport named after former defence minister and Goa’s former
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar becomes a reality today, January 5. The landing
of the first commercial flight opens up a new chapter in the annals of the
travel and tourism sector in the state. The so-advertised 13 million passenger
dream of the industry is now on course and commercial uses are the other big
projections the government expects.
The airport developed on land admeasuring
81 lakh square meters is the largest tract of land Pernem taluka has sacrificed
for a central government’s Public Private Partnerships (PPP) project. Whatever
may be the commercial success and job-creating promises by the government at
the airport for the people of Goa, and Pednekars in particular, the clock will
start ticking in forward gear from now on.
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Tryst with the fascinating Mopa plateau
and meeting the villagers of Chandel, Varkhand and Casarvarnem will always
remain something to cherish for their friendliness and jovial nature. Memories
of that hot afternoon a decade ago are still afresh in minds as a quartet of
friends waded through the thick forest and one of the longest plateaus in north
Goa. The well-known resident of Casarvornem, Sandip Kambli, who spearheaded
MopaVimantal Pidit Xetkari Samiti made our visit a memorable experience for all
as he briefed us about the tabletop land, its people, ecology, historical
perspective, and ramification if the airport becomes a reality. He mentioned
about the Sheemechi Advan and the sacred grove’s religious significance for the
villagers. The perennial springs and rivulets still had water at the height of
scorching summer days.
Once slated for mining activities, the pits dug up at number of
places for prospecting were quite conspicuous all along. For an average person,
the plateau looked devoid of any vegetation, but the actual picture never made
any headlines. The numbering of the trees in red colour, sadly suggested that
their days were numbered. And for human inhabitants, it must have been a very
difficult situation to comprehend what must have been in the minds of a few of
the Dhangar families who were residing there.
During a visit in monsoon, the shrub-covered Mopa plateau looked
as verdant as any such terrain with a carpet of flowers and shrubs changing the
hue. The forest cover in the periphery around the plateau was covered with
thick vegetation with springs all around. We were told that water was available
for the villagers living in the downstream region round the year as the plateau
received a whopping 2 billion liters of water annually, according to one
research study.
With the airport area being cordoned-off by a compound wall, the
dynamics of the natural flow of the monsoon water are already threatening the
recharge of groundwater, the natural water resource for the villagers. The
future of endangered species such as leopards, pangolin, gaur, palm civet,
sambar, bird species, and flora in the area, as there was no mention of
endangered species in the EIA report.
Though the airline industry is very positive about the
successful inauguration of the airport, it is understandable that the villagers
are not too happy with the compensation, which is literally peanuts as the
commercial value of the land multiple times. As of now and when it happens,
their roar will have to outsmart the thunder of flight that will only increase
with every passing day. While the villagers may receive higher compensation, no
one knows the fate of wildlife, as elephants had landed in the near vicinity
not too far away from the Mopa airport.
Although it was a very exhaustive day for everyone, the very
idea of losing the plateau and its ecology for development was unnerving for
all even as villagers were hoping against hope that their land would remain
sacred as nature made it. As hopes of new aspiration soar into the sky, the
lesser-known beings must be already feeling human ambush!
Whether
the expectations and ambitions of the locals are fulfilled or they are taken
for a joy ride by keeping them grounded by the might of the powerful is
something to be perceived by them. While hoping for the best, one thing is
sure, Mopa will never be the same again, but crowded by a single species with
thinner air to breathe.
