With Modi on top, GFDO hopes Parrikar will do justice to Dabolim
Expects CM will convince Centre to ask Navy land for expansion
Says Parrikar’s focus should be reinforcing existing infrastructure
TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: With Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO) has said it expects Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar to push ahead with what the Congress party obviously could not do by convincing his BJP government’s Defence Ministry at the Centre to part with the required land for the expansion of Dabolim Airport.
GFDO further hopes that Parrikar will walk the talk and fulfil the wishes of his own ministerial colleague, Alina Saldanha, saying the Environment Minister had publicly called upon the people to pressurise the government to end what she termed as the “illegal occupation of Dabolim airport by the Indian Navy”.
He reminded the Chief Minister of his plea to Congress leader Digvijai Singh at the inauguration of the Dabolim airport terminal to consider Goa also as a part of India and use his influence in the corridors of power at the Centre by convincing the Indian Navy to part with some of its land to further expand the Dabolim Airport.
Fr Rebello said it is an indisputable fact that in the present situation CM Parrikar himself wields powerful of influence in the corridors of power since his close BJP party colleague Narendra Modi has been elected as Prime Minister and head of the Central government.
Saying that Parrikar has shown inexplicable reluctance in the past to formally request the Navy to leave Dabolim airport, the GFDO convenor said the people of Goa can surely expect their Chief Minister to put an end to the constraints that he claims are hampering the free expansion of Dabolim airport, which presently can comfortably handle Parrikar’s stated objective of six million tourists since it is equipped to handle 14 million passengers.
He, however, said it is incomprehensible and a matter of grave apprehension how the state of Goa will handle the fallout of the 6 million tourists and the massive projects like Mopa airport and the many starred resorts that the CM is envisaging, when his government has failed miserably in providing elementary basic amenities like garbage management, consistent power and water supply which are the fundamental requirements for a decent quality of life.
“The Home Ministry’s police force also has shown itself totally incapable and ineffective in addressing and controlling the problems of drugs, gambling and prostitution that the tourism industry has spawned and which are totally corrupting and destroying Goan society”, Fr Rebello said, adding, “In such a scenario, CM Parrikar’s grandiose plans do not show any credible connection with the dismal ground realities of Goa’s current situation. Instead of going for huge over ambitious projects, it would make more sense for
Parrikar to concentrate on reinforcing the basic amenities and infrastructure that can make or break the quality of life of common
people”.
