Goemkar kicks off campaign against Mopa airport
MARGAO: Goemkar kicked off its campaign against Mopa airport with a meeting at Cavelossim on Sunday, even as its convenor Vijai Sardessai warning both the Congress and BJP that people of Goa will teach them a lesson in the elections if they don’t abandon Mopa project.
The Fatorda MLA pooh phooed Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar’s statement that Mopa has received environmental clearances from the Centre, saying that the government is yet to hold the mandatory public hearing before granting the environmental clearnence.
“I have information that the mandatory public hearing was held for the Sindhudurg airport in 2010, but no such hearing has been held for the Mopa airport”, he said, and warned that people would not tolerate any attempt to go ahead with the airport without the environmental clearances.
Sardesai reiterated his charge that both the Congress and BJP is supporting Mopa because of their interests in real estate. ‘Information under the Right to Information Act shows how many politician have purchased how many properties. This only shows the interest of these MLAs in the Mopa project”, he added.
Saying that ICAO had called for a feasibility study on Mopa airport before starting the work, Sardesai said the report had also recommended a six-lane highway connecting north and south, and demanded to know the status of the highway.
In his address, former Cavelossim Sarpanch Edwin Barretto said the Mopa airport would spell doom for tourism in the state. He said all the stakeholders, including shack owners, hoteliers, water sports operators should join hands against the proposed Mopa airport.
In his address, president of Shack owners, Cruz Cardozo underlined the need to bring together all the tourism stakeholders to unitedly oppose Mopa airport. He said the Mopa airport would hit Goa’s tourism industry.
Hotelier Serafino Cota said tourists come to Goa because of its hospitality and brand, adding that Mopa airport would kill the tourism industry.
Sandeep Kambli, who is representing the farmers of Mopa, said the people of Mopa are opposed to the proposed airport. He accused the government for trying to bulldoze its wit with the airport.
