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PANJIM: If the airport at Mopa were not to come up, there would have been a bauxite mine on that land, because the land on which the Mopa airport is coming up was a mining lease, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Goa State Legislative Assembly on Thursday. He said that the lease was cancelled on condition that the area would be used for an airport.
“Mining supersedes agriculture in priority. In 2002, I sought that the lease be cancelled on condition that it is used for an airport. That gentleman is still in the High Court, seeking to quash the acquisition,” Parrikar said.
Parrikar went on to say that if not for the upcoming airport, the land would not have been for agricultural purposes, but that it would now be like Sanguem or any other mining ravaged areas.
Parrikar however, accepted the Opposition’s contention that they needed to implement scientific techniques of agriculture in Goa.
“I agree with this, because Goa has small (farm) lands and small lands require greater productivity. We have talked with the Gujarat government and are in the process of signing an MoU in agriculture and milk (production) technology. Gujarat will be providing all the technical know-how,” Parrikar said adding that the ICAR in Goa as well as the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has expressed interest in helping the state.
He also said that the state government would be coordinating with the state of Israel for imparting their scientific techniques.
… Says trying to identifying places for legal sand extraction
PANJIM: The government is in the process of identifying stretches along river banks where legal sand extraction can be permitted and notified. “We will give licences based on this,” Chief Minister Parrikar told Goa Assembly Thursday.
Parrikar said it was not possible to allow extraction along the entire stretch as certain sections were ecologically sensitive.
His replies came to queries from Taleigao MLA Atanasio Monserrate who sought to know how the government proposes to help those people affected due to ban of sand extraction and laterite stone extraction. The chief minister informed that the draft rules are being prepared for sand extraction and will be notified.
