The disclosure by CM, Laxmikant Parsekar that the Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had initially asked for ten acre land at Mopa for a naval enclave but had finally settled for five acres is intriguing. But wait a minute. Why not give the Defence ministry all of ten acres at Mopa with a rider that the entire naval establishment at Dabolim civilian airport be relocated to Mopa?
That would solve the problem of building a new airport at Mopa as huge tracts of airport land occupied by the naval establishment would-be freed up for expansion of the centrally located Dabolim international airport and for it’s much needed infrastructure.
It is quite puzzling that the controversial project at Mopa is being pushed by the BJP government at the fag end of its tenure. The Mopa airport project was not part of its manifesto for the 2012 assembly elections. Besides, the issue has divided Goans as most in South and central Goa are for retention of Dabolim airport. It is certain that if and when the Mopa airport is commissioned, Dabolim airport would be gradually but surely be closed down as no two airports within fifty kms of each other can be financially viable. And that will ring the death knell of tourism in Goa, particularly South Goa.
So why go ahead just a few months before the assembly elections? Let the same be kept on the back burner till the 2017 elections. Let the people of Goa decide. Why the hurry to get it to take off? Could it be potentially a cash cow waiting to be milked? After all elections are just a few months away!
It’s time Goans woke up to the implications of the proposed Mopa airport project. The main beneficiary will be neighbouring Maharashtra as it’s coastal belt nearby would be able to attract tourists coming to Goa via Mopa. South Goa will take a huge hit and many jobs would disappear.
Goans especially from the south should not be under any illusion that Dabolim will be retained once Mopa airport is fully operational. No two civilian airports can exist within a radius of one hundred kilometres let alone fifty kilometres. It’s time we spoke out and compelled the government to listen to our demand, ‘Dabolim forever and Mopa never”. That must be our motto to retain Dabolim airport. Till the Mopa project is shelved, we must not relent. For the sake of Goa and our future generations.
