PANAJI
The Goa Assembly witnessed pandemonium over the holding of DefExpo and the Aero India show with the ruling and Opposition benches trading accusations over the issue.
Raising the issue through a calling attention motion Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that the Government was out to ‘sell’ Goa in the form of a ‘haphazard’ organisation of Defence Expo despite mass opposition from villagers and the public.
Replying to the motion, Minister of Industries Mahadev Naik said the Government of India Ministry of Defence had requested the Government of Goa for about 150 acres of land on the coastline which can accommodate a 10,000 ft runway along the coast so that a permanent venue for conduct of Aero Show and Defexpo can be set up.
In response Sardesai questioned the logic behind they wanting a coastal location. “Has any study been done? Why do they want a coastal location,” Sardesai said adding that no one in the government is speaking about the runway which will have to be built.
“The previous chief minister himself on the floor of this House had said that the Defence Ministry is the biggest land grabber. Now because he asks for land the Goa government bends over to give it to him,” Sardesai alleged.
Quepem MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar demanded an assurance from the government that the industries, which have been demanded by the people would come up in that area.
“Can the government give me an assurance that industries for the benefit of the people will be there,” Kavlekar asked.
Ruling members countered that the previous government wanted to bring in a food park in the area along with ancillary industries. “Even residences were defined as ancillary industries,” Panaji MLA Siddharth Kuncalienkar said adding that “the younger generations will never forgive the people of today who are opposing development.
“I demand that the government make this a permanent venue of the DefExpo and Aero India show,” Kuncalienkar said.
The minister Mahadev Naik said in his report that the event will bring immense benefit to the State in terms of the large number of visitors including foreign visitors… it is estimated that around Rs 1.5 lakh visitors of which almost 50% would be foreign visitors. The state will benefit from the host of activities that will help generate direct and indirect taxes.
“All this will happen during the end of March when the tourist inflow is less,” he said.
The Minister also clarified that the proposal for the DefExpo 2016 is an event based proposal. The event will be held for four days and the structures will be temporary in nature. All the temporary structures will be removed after the completion of the event. There will not be any alteration of land profile due to this event,” he said.
“As far as a permanent venue is concerned, with regard to the allotment of land, is a different proposition. We have informed the Ministry of Defence that the decision regarding creation of a permanent exposition ground will be taken separately,” he said. Sanguem MLA compared the proposal to that of events like Sunburn. “Sunburn has come and gone, has the land gone anywhere,” he asked.
