GFDO Convenor Fr Eremito Rebello said it is a matter of deep regret that people’s representatives like MPs and have remained deafeningly silent on this issue of crucial importance to their constituents and Goa. He said that Mauvin Godinho’s staunch support to Mopa, gives rise to grave doubts about his motives.
Fr Rebello has called upon the people of Goa to approach their respective elected representatives and clearly communicate the people’s stand on the dual airport issue being inflicted upon the state by the government, so that they may seriously take up this important issue with the government. “The Parrikar government should also explain to the people how lobbying for Special Status at the Centre on one hand, fits in with blatantly selling out 84 lakhs square metres of precious and scarce Goan land, belonging to traditional communities for an unnecessary and unviable airport on the other hand. That this project is unviable and will have no takers is clear from the chief minister’s desperate bid to offer as bait 15 lakh square metres of land for pure and unhindered commercial use to anyone who will agree to implement his Mopa Airport dream project”, he added.
He said that Alina Saldanha’s insistence on a written assurance from the Defence Ministry and AAI was probably well intentioned, but he hastened to add that it was naïve and unrealistic to imagine that a written assurance will protect Dabolim airport’s survival when pitted against the compulsions of practical economic viability as pointed out in the ICAO and ADPi expert reports. “Besides, her government’s credibility with the people of Goa is at an all time low”, he said.
“The recent long holiday weekend with its influx of tourists, saw the complete collapse of Goa’s infrastructure, exposing the hollowness of the chief minister’s claims of exponential rise of tourism that he uses to justify his Mopa airport dream. In fact, the tourism projections until 2045 as stated by the Parrikar government, can be comfortably handled by Dabolim airport according to the ICAO and ADPi expert reports”, he added.
Meanwhile, expressing doubts over the genuineness of the statement made by newly elected GPCC chief Luizinho Faleiro against the Mopa airport, Cavelossim Villagers Forum on Thursday said the Congress should fight against its own creation till the end if it is sincerely opposed to the proposed airport.
Saying that only GFDO is fighting seriously to sustain Dabolim airport & tourism industry in Goa, the forum said the Mopa airport is the creation of the Congress during its tenure. It said the Congress had enough time to do a rethink on the proposal and take a suitable decision at the relevant time after taking into consideration all the aspects such as existing tourism industry and taking into confidence the stakeholders, but in vain.
“Instead of doing homework properly, all the politicians first grabbed huge chunks of land thinking only about their selfish interest to gain at the cost of Goans, who are completely dependent on the tourism industry base.”, the forum said.
CVF President Irish Passainha said though Faleiro had been the state chief minister and had held several positions in the Congress at the Centre, he did nothing to get the Navy shifted to the Seabird naval project at Karwar or to get the necessary land released by the navy for the airport expansion. “Under these circumstances, Faleiro’s assertion on Mopa seems to be only an eyewash upon his appointment as the GPCC chief”, he said, adding that only the GFDO is seriously working against the proposed airport without any selfish interest.
