TEAM HERALD
CORTALIM: Stating that the government will not go ahead with the airport at Mopa without an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, Cortalim MLA and Minister Alina Saldanha said she had already taken up the issue with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in this regard.
Reacting to ‘Goa For Dabolim Only’ (GFDO) Convenor Fr Eremito Rebelo’s statement that Matanhy had favoured only one airport at Dabolim, Saldanha said: “I met the chief minister on Monday who told me in clear terms that no law of the land will be bypassed and the work on the airport will start only after EIA report is out.” “If the EIA report is not favourable, then the government will not go ahead with it (Mopa airport).”
Making her intentions clear, Saldanha said she personally felt that Dabolim airport was the only airport for people of Goa given its central location. “I have made my stand clear earlier and I am reiterating it now,” Saldanha told Herald.
Saldanha said the Navy which is in illegal possession of the civilian airport after the liberation of Goa should have handed over the airport to civilian government after it was in place. “I have lot of regards and respect for the defence forces for their service to the nation. But in this case, the Navy should be relocated to Karwar.”
