PANJIM: Former Rajya Sabha MP John Fernandes has said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statements on proposed Mopa Airport are self-contradictory, make amusing reading and expose his half-baked knowledge on matter of civil aviation.
“The Chief Minister claims that Mopa will be an exclusive cargo terminal for Ratnagiri, Satara, Hubli and Karwar. This is unheard of as there are no exclusive cargo airports anywhere. Even our national carriers combine their flights as cargo and passengers to call it ‘Combi’ the Congressman said.
He elaborated that it is ridiculous that the Chief Minister of Goa is more concerned about the interests of Maharashtra and Karnataka against the interests and wishes of people of Goa. Moreover, Ratnagiri is going to have its own airport, Satara will be covered by Chippi Airport in Sindhudurg. Karwar and Hubli will have a huge airport in its backyard at Belgaum.
Fernandes went on the explain that it is a misnomer to call Doha airport as hub of Qatar, as all Qatar Airways flights which originates from Qatar internationally, converge back to Qatar making Qatar hub for Qatar Airways, like Mumbai is a hub to Air India. To have a ‘Hub’ you have to have ‘Spokes’ which is not possible unless Chief Minister has ‘Mopa Airways’ at Mopa, he said.
“Civil Aviation falls within Central Government list. The Chief Minister’s desire to promote Goa as civil aviation centre is unfounded, as he is not aware that whole air space over Goa is under the defence domain and Goa government has no jurisdiction,” the former RS MP said.
