GFDO has scheduled a public meeting at Lohia Maidan, Margao, on January 31, on the eve of the public hearing scheduled at Simechen Adven, Pernem. It has appealed to all cabinet ministers, MLAs, irrespective of their political affiliation, to be part of the meeting, pressing for its demand that the State does not need two airports and that Dabolim should be the only international airport.
Addressing the media, GFDO convener Fr Eremito Rebelo informed that his NGO would make a representation to the chief secretary raising objections and reservations on the appointment of Mohanan as the designated authority for the public hearing on the EIA report.
Rebelo said that North Goa collector Mohanan, is directly under the control of the State government and takes orders from its political executive. Also as the government is the interested party, project proponent and a stakeholder in the proposed Mopa airport project and hence Mohanan would be under pressure, he said.
“Also she happens to be the wife of Ameya Abhyankar, who holds the position of secretary (PPP Cell) of the State government. Since Mopa airport is a PPP project, the career prospects of Abhyankar directly depends on this project,” Fr Rebelo said.
“With such conflict of interests in the official as well as personal capacity, she herself should have recused from the position of the designated authority (for Mopa),” he added.
GFDO has demanded that the scheduled public hearing be postponed until an objective and impartial conducting authority is appointed.
