But, unless the people rise in unison or the Courts come to our rescue, there is little that a few well-intentioned individuals can do to dissuade a Government that gives a damn to public opinion or to the interests of poor and humble locals. It would stoop to any levels to please the rich and the powerful, who have bought land around the area and from whom financial benefits are obviously expected.
Such massive destruction of productive land, water springs, rich flora and fauna, so essential to preserve our ecology and environment, could only come from perverted minds, individuals who have sold their conscience and whose greed extends not alone to allowing destruction but also to crushing the poor and voiceless, whose lands were taken for a pittance. Most atrocious and shameless was acquiring land just on the eve and to escape the new Land Acquisition Law, which would have entitled land losers to much higher compensation. For this very reason, contravening the rules, acquisition was done before EIA. Would this ever happen if beneficiaries of compensation were well connected?
However, today, I felt necessary to expose how Dabolim is being throttled to push Mopa:
1 The practice in other States is to freeze land around airports for future development. Far from doing this, Goa Govt. denotified acquired 36400 sq.m. under 8/1 earmarked for parking. This story with Parrikar’s U-turn in renotifying it, needs no repetition. Despite inherent dangers and protests from Navy, he allowed buildings to come up in the area.
2 Goa Government’s investment in Dabolim has been minimal – only around 12 acres for shifting of the main road. Another 20 acres acquired for airport were paid for by Central Govt. Besides this, nothing worth the mention.
3 AAI invested around Rs 675 crores in new terminal, aerobridges, support services, etc. at Dabolim while another Rs 250 crores are in the pipeline for extension of new terminal, modernization measures and parallel taxi track, for which a MoU is being signed with Navy. This will benefit both naval and civilian operations, but without land transfer. These investments are one of the largest by GOI in tourism related infrastructure, after Chennai & Kolkata, obviously realizing the returns expected. But, in less than three years of constructing the new terminal, there are already complaints of rats, dirty toilets and crumbling false ceilings – all pointing to willful neglect. Congestion, however, maybe understandable due to heavy inflow of flights in the afternoon, resultant of Navy’s intransigence to allow more landing time.
4 Goa’s ex-Governor Sidhu, who had aviation background and was India’s representative in ICAO, had, several years back, obtained assurance from Naval Chief to surrender 12.5 acres of land to AAI, which was agreed upon, but Navy’s commitment, like many others, is not yet fulfilled. Of 1840 acres of land occupied by Navy at Dabolim, excluding housing and recreational facilities, only 30 acres were given for civilian operations.
5 A patch of land of 37,000 m2 of 83/1, right opposite the new terminal, is the last now available for parking. It is embroiled in dispute between Navy and Comunidade of Chiclaim because Navy did not mutate nor partition land acquired by them. It also excluded this plot, while fencing their property
6 A four year old project of two flyovers by GSIDC over NHW & Rly line, which would have avoided congestion at airport, is deliberately delayed. To deceive the public white pillars stand out for years. The tender was bagged by one Venkatarao, who also built the Assembly Complex.
7 ICAO mandates that State Govts. provide, at international airports, dedicated power feeder facilities to assure stability and sanctity of critical aircraft and navigational operations. This does not exist. And of water supply, sewerage, bus service, etc. the less said the better.
All this point to a systematic and willful attempt at choking Dabolim, solely to promote Mopa. Allowing Dabolim to prosper is suicidal to Mopa. Both from distance point of view as also landing costs, which are extremely reasonable and which will be much higher in Mopa, as they will be added to passengers’ tickets costs, Dabolim is ideal. Both aircrafts and public will opt for Dabolim, provided facilities continue or improve. Mopa can never match Dabolim’s convenience from distance and financial point of view.
A K Anthony, then Defence Minister, appeared willing to cede more land at Dabolim.
Local leaders, Digvijay and Ajit Singh then Minister for Civil Aviation were approached but did nothing. Present Raksha Mantri, who professes infinite love for Goa, had then asked Digvijay Singh to consider Goa part of India and give more land at Dabolim, but is now sacrificing more and more Goa’s land to the Armed Forces, solely to save his chair. He could have easily got AAI the land under 83/1 for parking, which is not in Navy’s possession. But his hypocritical attitude has been there for all to see.
My fellow Goans must realize what has often been said. Come Mopa, quit Dabolim. And have no doubts about it, particularly if likes of Parrikar continue where they are. GMR is too big a financial giant to allow Mopa to sink. It will surely find in Goa Govt. a very obliging partner much in need of finances, in time for elections…
(The author is a retired banker)
