Much has been written and debated in these columns on Dabolim and Mopa. The “Goans for Dabolim Only”, the only organisation which has been consistently and tenaciously opposing the construction of an additional airport at Mopa, had labeled it as a “real estate scam”. Leave alone the futility of another airport and other arguments advanced both in favor of only Dabolim and against Mopa, which are strong and still valid, we now have an agreement with GMR – the builders of the new airport – which is nothing but a complete SELL OUT, an audacious attempt at outright and shameful nepotism, unjustified and utterly outrageous concessions, smacking of serious acts of bribery and corruption, which the Prime Minister himself must take note of, if he wishes to, if he has not deliberately overlooked them.
This concessionaire agreement not only corroborates the direct accusation many opponents of Mopa, have made that it is a real estate scam but vindicates the stand that Mopa is sought to be imposed on us by hook or by crook violating all norms of decency and fair play with serious implications to Goa and Goans. Parrikar is cleverly avoiding an interaction with GFDO, which has raised many valid points over this sordid agreement, which will go down in Goa’s history as perhaps the greatest scandal of the BJP. No wonder a former Central Minister had admitted that there was tremendous pressure to go ahead with Mopa, because politicians of different shades had purchased land around the area and were anticipating huge appreciation after airport operations started.
I am quoting below some conspicuous flaws of the concessionaire agreement with GMR, so that the people of Goa, particularly the blind supporters and neo-coverts to BJP, are aware to what levels the Government can descend when it wants to have its way.
1. The Agreement was signed on 8th November 2016 giving GMR 1050 days for completion, which should expire in September 2019. Yet, in the Assembly, Parrikar stated that airport will be commissioned only in May 2020.
2. The techno-feasibility report, aimed at getting a favorable view was entrusted to infamous Louis Berger, after ICAO had opined against two airports. Rs 14 crores were paid as fees and yet this Master Plan is ignored in the GMR agreement and no new one is prepared, to my knowledge. Yet, Axis Bank is contemplating a loan of Rs 1500 crores for the project.
3. The project cost was estimated at Rs 3000 crores when Dabolim was to shut down, but now that it won’t, shouldn’t fresh estimates have been prepared, particularly due to decreased passenger load expected?
4. The Concessionaire agreement stipulates that Environment Clearance and right of way will be provided by the Government, within six months, failing which the Government would have to pay GMR Rs 3.6 lakhs per day. Why was the former clause added, when EC had already been granted prior to signing the agreement but stands challenged in NGT? If NGT stays the project, and it is not unlikely due to serious flaws in granting EC, the GMR may terminate the agreement and claim crores from the Government, as penalty. The access road (right of way) was initially to be constructed by the airport builders, but later the Government agreed to provide it. Now, eight months on, the access is yet to come and the penalty should already be in force.
5. In December 2012, Parrikar had promised jobs to the people of Pernem at the airport. The Agreement does mention preference to locals but without a penalty clause for deviation, such condition is not enforceable. Further, Parsekar in August 2016 had assured training for locals in the aviation sector, so that they could find easy employment at the airport. No such training is envisaged in the agreement, leaving ample scope for employment of mostly non-Goans, as has happened in various sectors.
7. Another very serious and damaging clause is the “funkatt” offer to GMR of Goa’s 381 acres, acquired for peanuts from our poor farmers. Of these 240 acres is for unrestricted development without any Time Frame for its utilization. In a similar agreement also with GMR at Delhi airport, the CAG had rapped the authorities for allowing GMR to sit pretty on a property now worth Rs 21,000 crores when its own investment is just Rs 31 lakhs. And the agreement with GMR on Mopa allows it to retain the property till 2076, if the Agreement is terminated.
Apart from this sell out to GMR, serious doubts are still being raised about the continuance of Dabolim, despite even written assurances, as with so many U-turns and false promises, there is no faith left on whosoever matters. Perhaps knowing how much people trust him, Parrikar tried to take support of the Agreement to reassure that Dabolim could never close because its continuance is part of the deal. However, the Agreement is ambiguous and does not appear to have such clause. But even if it did, it is but natural that if the Navy demands closure of Dabolim and the Government agrees, GMR only stands to benefit and will be only too glad to accept it. This would be obvious even to a child, but unfortunately, Parrikar with his inflated ego, underestimates Goans’ intelligence.
The Agreement is nothing but a sham and the Chief Minister has much to explain on this count. Goans, whose interests are being financially and otherwise jeopardized and which the Government is duty bound to protect, have a right to know how what weighed with it to sign such hurriedly drafted, one sided and highly detrimental agreement.
(The Author is a retired Banker)
