GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
In a development that has even taken senior government officials by surprise, land acquired by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for parking under the Dabolim airport expansion project is being sought to be converted for construction of barracks for the Central Industrial Reserve Force (CISF), including armory, ammunition and dog kennel.
If the previous Congress government had de-notified land earmarked for Dabolim airport parking, the AAI has knocked the doors of the South Goa district Collector for conversion of land admeasuring 19,495 square meters to build barracks and other related structures.
Inquiries by The Goan have now revealed that the file moved by the AAI had been pending in the south Goa district Collectorate for conversion since April 2016. With the proposal for conversion not making much headway, the issue has now reached the door steps of the Chief Secretary, sources in the Secretariat told The Goan.
When The Goan called up Airport Director B C H Negi to shed light on the proposal made by the AAI, he sought to defend the decision on grounds that the land in question was acquired for parking as well as for allied activities, including construction of CISF barracks, armoury, ammunition etc and dog kennel. “All these activities form part of the expansion project. The land was acquired for parking as well. Besides barracks, the CISF also required land for dog kennel as the security agency has dogs, which form parts of the bomb disposal squad”, he added.
But, when further asked to throw light how much of the acquired land will be utilised for parking other than construction of the CISF barracks, Negi said he would have to check the file pertaining to the land acquisition. He, however, hastened to add that the AAI had proposed to acquire a big chunk of land for the airport expansion, including parking, which, however, did not see light of the day after the Goa government de-notified the land. “I will go through the file to find out whether any portion of the 19,495 square meters of acquired land will be utilised for parking. And, whether this acquired land is ideal for parking”, Negi said, adding “one thing is clear that the de-notified land was most suited for parking.
Sources in the know said the AAI proposal for conversion of the huge land has still not received the nod from the district Collectorate officials. One reason cited for the delay in clearing the conversion file was the question raised by the officials whether land acquired for the purpose of parking can be converted for another purpose.
Highly placed sources in the Secretariat informed that at the meeting called by the Chief Secretary with officials of the AAI and district Collectorate, it has now been decided that the government will take the final call on the AAI proposal. Sources said while the district Collectorate will process the AAI application for conversion of the parking land, the revenue department and the government will take the decision whether to allow the conversion of the land acquired for parking under the Dabolim airport expansion project.
Inquiries revealed that the land in question was notified for acquisition for expansion of the Dabolim Airport for parking way back on August 6, 2009 in Dabolim village. The land was finally acquired and taken possession in 2012, sources informed.
The Dabolim airport parking had kicked up a storm when the previous Congress government had de-notified land belonging to a private owner Bernard D’Costa for parking. The de-notified land is now playing host to a major construction project.
