Likely to charter future course of action against Mopa
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: After a fortnight-long awareness campaign across Salcete’s countryside and down south, the stage is finally set for the public meeting called by Goans for Dabolim Only at the historic Lohia Maidan on Wednesday evening.
The meeting is expected to unveil its future course of action against the backdrop of government’s move to invite pre-qualification bids for the construction of Mopa airport. The meet also assumes significance as the Forum has sent a message loud and clear to all and sundry that there’s now no looking back and the war against Mopa would continue till the scrapping of the airport.
Though the Forum has categorically ruled out allowing political leaders from sharing its platform given its apolitical nature, all eyes are focussed on the meeting since many a politician from South Goa, including Ministers and MLAs are expected to attend the meeting and express their solidarity with the anti-Mopa movement. Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado told newsmen on Tuesday that he would attend tomorrow’s meeting along with the sarpanchas from Navelim constituency.
During the fortnight long awareness campaign, the Goans for Dabolim Only had a series of meetings, covering many parts of Salcete’s coastal belt from Benaulim to Betalbatim and Cavelossim, besides Cuncolim, Assolna, Chinchinim, Raia, Sao Jose de Areal, Nuvem, Curtorim, Verna, Loutolim besides meetings at Cortalim, Cansaulim, Vasco, Quepem and Canacona in South Goa.
Says Convenor of Goans for Dabolim Only, Fr Eremito Rebello: “Mopa would spell doom for Goa and the state’s economy. The political class may assure Goans, but we are convinced that Dabolim will be shut down once Mopa becomes a reality. The battle has just begun and people of Goa will take it to its logical conclusion.”
Saying that the movement had evoked encouraging response from the people of South Goa during the fortnight long campaign, Fr Rebello made a fervent plea to the people from the district to come out in large numbers at the Lohia Maidan on Wednesday evening and lodge their protest against the Mopa airport.
“The time has come for Goans to tell the government in one voice to drop Mopa and retain Dabolim as Goa’s only international airport”, he asserted.
