TEAM HERALD
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PERNEM/PANJIM: A high level delegation of officials led by Civil Aviation Secretary, K N Srivastava which toured the Mopa plateau on Thursday, were greeted with black flags by farmers who are protesting the takeover of their precious land.
Around 60-70 protestors of Tulaskarwadi Varkand of Pernem taluka staged a vociferous demonstration as the delegation arrived at Mopa strongly protesting against the proposed international Airport Project at their village. Sandeep Kambli who led the farmers who fear the eclipsing of their village said, “We don’t want money or jobs from government. Our land is like family to us. If government wants to give us something, then give us water from Tillari Project, we will cultivate our land and we will live happily in our village only.”
The visiting delegation consisted of Collector of North Goa Mihir Vardhan and other members. DySP Serifino Dias was also present with the committee.
Speaking to Herald, Vardhan stated that the tour was arranged to give the civil aviation secretary a view of the area where the airport was scheduled to come up. “It was just a tour of the site. The civil aviation secretary, the Mopa Land Acquisition Officer and myself had been there. We just took a tour of the site that’s all,” the North Goa Collector stated.
The farmers under the leadership of Kambli strongly opposed the proposed international airport. The farmers said that, the project of such magnitude will totally devastate their village. They urged the government not to acquire the land for proposed airport, since it will adversely affect the lives of the people.
“It was a peaceful agitation. We were not there to block them or anything. We waved black flags. They did not get out of their cars, they just took a tour of the plateau seated in their vehicles and left,” Sandip Kambli who led the delegation of farmers and land losers said.
