Team Herald
Margao: Welcoming Herald’s Page 1 report on the state government’s responses to the centre on the environment concerns for Mopa airport, the complainant Federation of Rainbow Warriors and Goans For Dabolim Only (GFDO) have condemned the government’s attitude and continued stance in ignoring the objections raised by the people of Goa against the proposed airport.
Federation of Rainbow Warriors had submitted their written objections to the expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) following which the EAC did not grant environment clearances in its recent meeting seeking clarifications from the state government.
“Now, at least the chief minister should know that all the answers given by the government were not true. He should have a fresh Environment Impact Assessment done,” said Ronny Dias, president of the federation after reading the replies given by the state government.GFDO, that has been spearheading the anti-Mopa campaign, appreciated the detailed report in Herald which revealed various aspects on the project and the environment-related concerns.
“If the government was really serious in constructing the airport, they should have taken utmost care about each and every aspect minutely. However, the government’s hurried stance exposes the fact that the authorities wanted to push hard for the project irrespective of the people of Goa’s concerns,” said Fr Eremito Rebello, GFDO convenor.
GFDO members who held an emergency meeting on Thursday also pointed out that all procedures should be conducted appropriately and the safety aspect had to be given topmost priority.
It maybe recalled that in February 2015, the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) submitted the public hearing report to the MoEF for granting the EC for the project. EIA report was submitted to the government in December 2014 and public hearing on the EIA was held on February 1, 2015.
Thereafter, in March, GFDO submitted a memorandum to the GSPCB where they had questioned how the public hearing was held for Mopa airport when the validity of the terms of reference expired on May 31, 2014.
In the memorandum that had been submitted by the GFDO to GSPCB, they had complained that the pollution control board did not use its own machinery and its own scientists to study the EIA report. The memorandum had also criticised the state and central government by pointing out that there was no indication that the board, MoEF and EAC have verified the facts stated in the project report or indicated to the project proponent what are the parameters and the law which the project proponent will have to comply with keeping in view the nature of the project.
“We have been saying all this time that the government has not bothered with the genuine environment concerns and destruction at Mopa,”added GFDO who stand vindicated and vow to step up their Anti Mopa agitation
