PANJIM: The Defence Ministry is absolutely adamant in bulldozing ground level opinion and going ahead with the DefExpo, despite having a clear knowledge that very narrow approach road in the Quittol area just cannot be widened. All heavy equipment and vehicles have to pass through this very road.
This factor was literally buried under the carpet during discussions between Union Defence Secretary Ashok Kumar Gupta and Goa Chief Secretary (officiating) R K Srivastava, as the DefExpo was “announced”.
While announcing that the four-day DefExpo 2016 will be held in March at Quittol village, the Union Defence Ministry on Friday clarified that it is still undecided on whether to make Goa a permanent centre for the annual event. It is waiting for the March event to end after which it will review the event and take a decision.
The Ministry also stated that the decision to hold the Aero India show in the coastal State in 2017 is yet to be taken.
Union Defence Secretary (production) Ashok Kumar Gupta held the first infrastructure review meeting late Friday evening with State Chief Secretary R K Srivastava and heads of several other departments including Industries, Goa Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Fire and Emergency Services, Directorate of Health, etc.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Gupta said DefExpo 2016 will be held in Goa for four days in March (28 to 31), with temporary infrastructure in place. “There is no decision taken yet on making the State a permanent venue to hold the DefExpo annually,” he said.
Refusing to comment on whether the Ministry is considering making Goa the permanent exhibition ground, Gupta said, “Let the scheduled event in March take place first, let us review it, we have not taken any decision, let the event take place”.
Gupta also said that this year only DefExpo would be held in Goa, while the decision in regards to organising the Aero India Show 2017 will be taken up later. “It is a separate issue, the decision will be taken later,” he said.
Post the review meeting, the Secretary held a meeting with the officials of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), wherein it is learnt that the entire infrastructure creation work would be awarded to GSDIC instead of Public Works Department (PWD).
Sources said there are no hurdles to holding the event, except for the approach road. “There is no space at all to widen the width of the existing road. This is one of the major issues that have raised serious concerns,” sources said.
The other infrastructural requirements include supply of potable water that is seven lakh gallons per day from February 10 to April 5 and 30MM of electrical lines during the build up phase and during the event.
The government has also decided to reserve space in hospitals and 10,000 bottles of blood in blood banks to meet any eventuality. Also, around 20 ambulances and para medical staff will be arranged to manage the blood bank.
On the security front, sniffer dogs with handlers, State police, traffic cops and CISF would be deployed at the site.
