TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Goans for Dabolim Airport Only said it is a disgrace that the State administration could not summon up the professional calibre and objectivity to conduct the Mopa EIA hearing with the required dignity and objectivity it demanded.
GFDO has expressed its dismay at the slipshod and negligent manner in which the EIA report for the proposed Mopa Airport project has been prepared.
While members of GFDO ensured their presence to register their formal objections to the EIA report at the public hearing held at Mopa on Sunday, the manner in which it was conducted, gave cause for grave disappointment and distress.
GFDO convenor Fr Eremito Rebello said it was indeed shocking that the highest authority of the district, Collector Neela Mohanan seemed to have lost sight of the fact that the aim of the public hearing was to invite and collect information that would throw light on the acceptability of the EIA.
The hearing was to elicit views to reflecting the actual ground realities on the Mopa plateau before going ahead with the construction of the proposed airport, as well as the 15 lakh square metres of land being “gifted” to the developer for commercialization at FAR of 400, he added.
“It was surprising that Collector Mohanan permitted the hearing to be unnecessarily dragged on by entertaining irrelevant comments particularly from those supporting the proposed project on issues like Konkan Railway, mega projects, etc. despite going through the obviously token gesture of announcing at the beginning that speakers should restrict their comments strictly to the EIA,” he said.
Fr Rebello said that in fact Mohanan’s unprofessionalism and lamentable lack of ability to control the proceedings turned the public hearing into a ‘natak’ and a stage managed show of strength rather than a public hearing sincerely
seeking to obtain serious views on the EIA.
