By the time you get to read this report, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as scheduled, would be all set to have reached Taleigao for the inauguration of the Mopa Airport project.
However, notwithstanding that, the concern for the fragile ecosystem is still a major cause for worry among the custodians of the ani Mopa movement and they are doing their best.
Fr Eremito Rebello has just coordinated and drafted a letter for the PM through the Goans for Dabolim Only. He hopes that the BJP and the Prime Minister will be fair to Goans and their agitation against the Mopa Airport.
“My plea to the PM is that there are so many cases pending in the court and the NGT against destruction of environment, improper compensation to farmers, faulty environment impact assessments, etc. “Our plea to the PM is that not to go ahead with the laying of a foundation stone when these cases are in court. We will abide by any decision the court takes.”
Fr Eremito also agrees that the movement against Mopa and for Goans for Dabolim Only has fizzled out in many ways and has slowed down.
“There are so many NGOs in Goa but only a few people come forward to agitate against Mopa, also the youth aren’t interested. Committees of the church are not doing enough. The tourism stakeholders and hotel lobby is divided and sadly the politicians, especially of the South, are obedient to their party diktat. Isn’t GFDO a movement for all Goans but sadly Goa hasn’t woken up to it,” explains Fr Eremito who is upbeat and plans to block the highway and raise black flags to the Prime Minister when he visits Goa on Sunday. However, Fr Eremito is wary and believes that his movement won’t be backed up by many people for whom he has stood up. He’s also deeply saddened by Alina Saldanha’s “betrayal”.
Similar to Fr Eremito’s views is that of banker-turned-social activist Jose Maria Miranda who quit the GFDO a few months ago.
“I quit the GFDO only to become a petitioner challenging the EIA report at Mopa and also to fight in court for the Mopa locals to get a better compensation and hence there couldn’t be a conflict of interest,” stated Miranda.
Miranda is very sore that the PM used Goans and he had himself made statements of Special Status for Goans and exploited the state and now has the temerity to make a public appearance in Goa to inaugurate the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Greenfields airport at Mopa .
Meanwhile, Edwin Pinto, spokesperson of the GFDO, stated that the work is in progress though a little bit slow but the focus is still on opposing Mopa tooth and nail.
“I told Alina when I moderated a debate in 2012 in Cortalim when Matanhy was a candidate that the BJP will never give Goa special status and that the BJP is here to only finish and sell Goa and today it’s all coming true but we Goans have failed to unite and oppose this dangerous project and other all the concessions that are given to the building and realty lobby,” asserted an angry Miranda.
Similarly, Anacleto Viegas of the UGDP came down heavily on the government and admitted that it’s terrible that Goa’s greenery is being savaged in the name of development and Goans are gifted an airport that they never wanted.
“This is a backdoor entry to fulfill Bandodkar’s dreams of a Goa-Maharashtra merger. And to support the BJP is the NCP and the Praful Patels and Sharad Pawars who have bought land in the virgin beaches of Malwan and Ratnagiri and will rob Goa of its tourism post Mopa but nobody wants to fight this menace now and are waiting for a day which will be too late,” rues Vincent Carvalho, the South Goa Taxi owners Association.
The taxi union, the starred hotels, prominent restaurants like Martins Corner, Zeebop and water sports union have joined hands as tourism stakeholders and issued a joint press note urging the PM to reconsider the airport at Mopa and prefer a single airport at Dabolim.Goa definitely is in need of TRUE GOANS who will be committed like Matanhy to fight for the state’s well-being. But the laying of the foundation stone for the Mopa airport, could well be the last nail in the coffin of the anti Mopa movement.
