MARGAO: The National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations, Goa Unit, has demanded that the State government change the venue for the Defexpo. The NCHRO has also extended support to Orixtt Porjecho Awaz to oppose the State government’s “in principle” approval to allot 150 acres of land to the Defence Ministry for the Defexpo and Aero India show.
At a press briefing on Saturday, NCHRO Goa member Fr Savio Fernandes said, “From our own study of the situation, we concur with the peoples’ view that the project is “unfeasible, impractical, against public interest and detrimental to the environment, social fabric and economic well-being of the residents of the panchayats of Naqueri-Betul as well as Khola, Fatorpa, Ambelim, Assolna, Velim and other surrounding areas.”
He further said, “The Goa government has shown utter insensitivity to the ground realities and acted in an arbitrary way. If the exhibition is meant to create development opportunities for the locals, and for Goa as a whole, then the people should have been consulted. Development has to always benefit the people at the grassroots. They must not be treated as secondary beneficiaries, who must be content with the ‘crumbs under the table’. In this sense, it is a clear violation of the human rights of the communities which will be affected.”
The Goa NCHRO also claimed that the people suspected that they were being misled.
“The government seeks to hoodwink the public by claiming that there is only a small portion of land involved. The people are aware that the land acquired will be huge as it must accommodate a runway of 3,000 mts length, taxi-lanes, taxiways, aprons, hangars, a control tower, terminal facilities and other infrastructure. There will also be exhibition halls, chalets, and related services, and displays/live demonstrations of defence and ground equipment will also require large spaces,” said NCHRO.
