MARGAO
Claiming that Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho had initiated a blame game which is a step towards closing operations at Dabolim, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Wednesday demanded that Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia clear the air on the issue.
Stating that he had warned in the last Assembly session about Dabolim turning into a Ghost airport after Mopa is commissioned, Yuri said it is important that the Civil Aviation Ministry makes its position clear on the operation of both airports. Goans will not allow Dabolim Airport to be closed at any cost, he added.
Reacting to the statement made by Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho that Dabolim Airport will shut down if taxi operators in Goa do not shift to app-based services, Yuri said the statement made by Transport Minister is the first step towards alerting the people about what lies ahead.
“BJP government at the Centre and the State have only one agenda of promoting private operators by shutting down public sector undertakings and co-operative sector. They want to shut down Dabolim and promote Mopa airport operated by a private company. Similarly, they want to finish the taxi operations of locals and bring multinational operators to Goa,” Yuri charged.
He added: “It is the duty of the government to provide good public transport services along with safe infrastructure. Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho must focus on improving the roads in Goa which have now turned into deathtraps. Why is the Transport Minister silent on taking action against highway contractors whose negligence has resulted in hundreds of fatal accidents?" questioned Yuri Alemao.
He demanded that the government take the taxi operators as well as the other stakeholders into confidence and try to find an amicable solution to the issues of taximen.
Threatening language of the government will not work anymore, Yuri warned.
