The recent in-principle approval granted by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board for a Mega Aero Sports and Aviation Hub at Quitol Industrial Estate is big news for Goa. Proposed on a 2 lakh sqm area, the project entails adventure activities, including skydiving, paragliding, hot air balloon rides, drone racing and even microlight aircraft operations. This could perhaps be the first of its kind in India, where aero sports is integrated with the aviation ecosystem, such as drone manufacturing and aviation training, and undoubtedly has the potential of giving a massive push to tourism.
Goa could be seen as a world-class destination for aero sports, an area which the State always struggled with, to an extent, it failed to regulate or effectively control even the few who have undertaken some of the aerial sports like hot air balloon rides, paragliding and parasailing. Moreover, there is a vast potential for jobs in allied activities, although this is not a given since there is the non-Goan resource also coming into the picture.
However, in current times, no deal is a done deal till it gets the seal of approval from the people. In this context, this ambitious plan must be examined against the backdrop of the churn that Goa has been witnessing in the past few years, with people fearlessly standing up against major developmental plans that threaten the environment and disturb livelihoods. Goa has seen people coming to the streets in protest and even undergoing chain hunger strikes.
The government faced a major embarrassment when people forced the Unity Mall and the Prashasan Stambh projects out of Chimbel after relentless protests. Recent protests in Arambol, Carambolim, and Santa Cruz over environmental and developmental concerns have forced the government to change course and reverse decisions. Quitol itself faced protests in the past.
The Quitol-Betul plateau has become a flashpoint of local resistance since the famous Defexpo in 2016. In April last year, villagers of Naqueri-Betul staged a silent protest demanding action against Hughes Precision Manufacturing Ltd after a fire and explosion at their propellant storage unit, raising safety alarms and environmental hazards, and in January this year, even the setting up of Parul University faced stiff opposition. All concerns have been over ecological damage, with protests bringing together diverse sections of society.
The common thread that runs through all protests is that development cannot be at the expense of community welfare and environmental sustainability. Regrettably, the government is failing to learn lessons from the past, and this project is no exception. Failure to engage local stakeholders runs the risk of resistance triggering yet another agitation against the project. And this reflects badly on governance. Engagement and awareness are crucial, especially when there are several promising and positive aspects to the project.
Obtaining in-principle approval, with promises of future public hearings, does not inspire confidence among the people. It betrays trust. As history indicates, protests and activism have arisen when meaningful participation of people has been sidestepped. The Quitol Aero Sports & Aviation Hub can be a catalyst for the State, and tourism in particular. But the path forward must be marked with engagement, in line with the government’s promise of inclusive growth, and not merely driven by economic metrics. We hope better sense will prevail.
