Leave Dabolim
Dabolim airport was a civilian airport during Portuguese rule and there are records to prove that it continued to be one after Goa was liberated in 1961. The Indian Navy has held on to the airport after liberation citing strategic reasons. However, with the completion of the naval base at Karwar, the raison d'être of holding on to Dabolim airport by the Navy has ceased. The Seabird naval base at Karwar is hardly a hundred kilometres from Dabolim. In these days of jet fighters with supersonic speed, the Navy can jolly well let go of Dabolim and relocate to Karwar.
That would be a grand gesture on its part and would be appreciated by the people of Goa. Dabolim airport is congested and needs more land for modernisation and expansion. Experts have opined that closing down of the naval base at Dabolim and relocation to the ultra modern Seabird naval base at Karwar would not compromise on security.
Secondly, such a gesture would render the need to have a second airport at Mopa totally unnecessary. With Dabolim airport centrally located between north and south Goa, its continuance and upgradation is urgently required. If the Mopa airport project were to see the light of day, one can be certain that Dabolim airport would be shut down in due time. Our politicians' assurances to the contrary cannot and should not be trusted.
Alberto Colaco, Nuvem
Money fever
During the Swine Flu and Bird Flu epidemics, the governments in those countries and others around the world started preventive measures, checking passengers, providing medical aid to the affected and more. With Monkey Fever (KFD) affecting many residents of Goa, there is no widespread alarm or even concern. No one is saying we need to panic, but there has to be proper measures taken to combat this. Weeks ago, the Minister of Health was reported as saying that anti-virus vials and other medication was ordered, but is that all? As a tourist state, shouldn’t Goa be working on ways to stop the spread of this virus, if it ever comes to that? Almost 100 people have died and the government is still a little calm. If this was America, there would be measures taken everywhere to stop this from spreading. We do not need more people to die before someone decides to take it seriously. Vaccinations may have arrived in the state but administering it to 88 or even 1000 people may be a start but it’s not the only course of action.
Amey Kurtakar, Margao
Clean up coasts
The GCZMA’s move to direct a company to demolish certain illegal construction that violate CRZ rules is a good move and should be done more often. Across the state there are many instances where these rules are broken, even in places like Anjuna where popular shacks have built concrete structures. These shacks are owned by former panches and sarpanches and therefore everytime complaints are made they are shot down by the authorities. It would be in the fitness of things for the GCZMA to take suo moto coignisance by inspecting all beaches and curbing all wrongdoing.
Sanjay Naik, Mapusa
