MARGAO: The Dabolim-Mopa airport ghost continues to haunt Union minister and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar even though he has left Goa for a new assignment in Delhi.
Moments after he was sworn in as Union minister in the Modi cabinet, Parrikar received an ultimatum from his home state from the anti-Mopa platform.
At an anti-Mopa meeting held at Majorda on Sunday, Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO) leader Rajendra Kakodkar set an ultimatum for Parrikar to either get the navy to release land admeasuring 15.5 acres for the airport expansion within 10 days or not to land at Dabolim. Kakodkar also made another demand that Parrikar, who is tipped to get the defence ministry, should release additional land admeasuring 35 acres within six months to take care of Dabolim airport’s future requirements for the next 100 years.
Kakodkar reminded that Parrikar had made a similar demand with AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh at the time of inauguration of the upgraded Dabolim airport when UPA was governing at the Centre.
“Now, since Parrikar is taking over the reins of the defence, it is his obligation to ensure that the Centre releases 15.5 acres of land with the navy for Dabolim’s expansion. This demand is negligible since 15.5 acres amounts to only around 60,000 square metres. If not, the people should not allow him to land at Dabolim airport,” Kakodkar said.
GFDO convenor Fr Eremito Rebello said that since Parrikar has now become a Union minister tipped to hold defence and if he truly loves Goa, it is within his reach to remove the navy from the airport area and shift them to the Seabird naval base at Karwar.
Another speaker, Teotonio D’Costa, said Parrikar should get the navy out of Dabolim over a period of 15 years. “Parrikar had stated that it would take 15 years for the navy to shift to the Sea Bird base at Karwar. Since, Parrikar will now hold the defence portfolio, he should set in motion the process to get the navy out of Dabolim,” he said.
Goa Su-raj party general secretary Floriano Lobo said that as chief minister, Manohar Parrikar was not been able to move the navy which is occupying Goa’s civilian airport at Dabolim for defence purposes since 1961, but as the Union defence minister, Parrikar can now kill two birds in one shot.
“One, get the navy to move to Sea Bird base at Karwar, lock-stock-and-barrel, to declare Dabolim as the sole international airport of Goa, and two, stop Mopa airport in its tracks. This will bring endless cheers to Goa and Goans, especially when Goans are presently getting ready to be on the war path to stop the Mopa airport from going any further, wanting the navy to move out to clear all hurdles for the development of Dabolim as the full fledged international airport of Goa,” Lobo said
