Lawrence Fernandes
There has been so much said on airports, the recent being Manohar Parrikar’s statement that “even Matanhy was in favour of Mopa”. I would like to present few “facts” for the benefit of “Herald” readers. Matanhy and myself were very close and often discussed topics concerning Goa. He was not only a man full of knowledge but also had a treasure of documents with him which no other Goan would have, let alone politicians. Here is a document he handed over to me a few months before he left us. This is a letter dated 24/11/1998 by Shri PR Bumb (Secretary Airports) to Govt of Goa, Secretariat, Panaji.
“Dear Shri Gupta,
Kindly refer to your DO letter No. AAI/02/13/96 ARII(P) dated 20th October, 1998, addressed to Shri SR Sharma, Chief Secretary regarding construction of airport of international standard at Goa. In this regard the Government of Goa feels that besides two sites suggested in the report prepared by the Airports Authority of India, a third alternative could be to upgrade the existing airport at Dabolim to international standards and the Ministry of Defense could be asked to direct Navy to hand over its control to the Airports Authority of India to use it as Civil Airport. As a first step in this direction, the present ATC could be handed over to the AAI immediately for which the AAI may be in a position to provide necessary staff/equipments.
It is, therefore, requested that the Ministry of Civil Aviation may be moved to consider this view point and take an early decision in the matter, before the Govt. of Goa takes a view about the suitability of the two new sites suggested.”
DV Gupta was the Chairman, Airports Authority of India, New Delhi, then and a copy was also forwarded to Shri PV Jayakrishnan, Secretary to Govt. of India, Ministry of Civil Aviation, New Delhi.
And the most interesting is this one written on 1-5-2000 by Shri AV Chaturvedi, Deputy Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Civil Aviation, New Delhi to the Chief Secretary Government of Goa:
“I am directed to say that the Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 29th March, 2000 has approved: (a) Setting up of a new airport of international standards at Mopa in Goa as per the institutional framework mentioned below. (b) Closure of existing airport at Goa for civilian operations on commissioning of new airport and (c) A commitment that the proposed airport at Mopa will be declared as international airport on its commissioning in case it has all the necessary infrastructure facilities required for an international airport” and so on…
I need not comment on all that is written above but I leave it to the readers to judge for themselves the true facts, lies, assurances etc. but only one thing is for sure ~ both Congressmen and the BJP are involved in telling lies to the common public that “even if Mopa comes up Dabolim will remain.”
