Board insists on due process as resort-casino plan near Mopa airport faces setback
MAPUSA
The proposal to denotify 3.33 lakh sq mt of command area of the Tillari Irrigation Project at Dhargal, Pernem, to facilitate an investment by M/s Delta Corporation Limited has hit a roadblock after stiff objections were raised at the Command Area Development Authority (CADA) board meeting on Wednesday.
Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira, the lone Opposition member in the Board, flatly rejected the move, insisting that statutory procedures could not be bypassed. “The law requires a public notification, inviting objections, preparing a report, and then placing it before the board. Even if the CM or the Governor signs the file, it has no meaning without following due process,” Ferreira is learnt to have told members.
Delta Corporation, which owns the land located just 5 km from Mopa international airport, had secured approval for a mega resort-cum-gaming project from the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board.
The State Cabinet had earlier cleared the denotification proposal, apparently without realising that prior clearance from the CADA board was mandatory.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Water Resources Minister and CADA chairman Subhash Shirodkar also expressed reservations about changing the status of the land.
In sharp contrast, Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar and Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar – in whose constituencies the project falls – chose to remain silent. Other members present included Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye, Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo and Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar.
When contacted, Water Resources Minister and CADA chairman Subhash Shirodkar clarified that the Board had not taken up the proposal to delink the command area for investment promotion.
“There are certain gaps that need to be addressed first, and only after ensuring compliance can we consider moving ahead,” Shirodkar told The Goan.
The project has already faced resistance from locals and activists, with petitions pending before the National Green Tribunal and the High Court.
Ferreira further cautioned against the Cabinet’s attempt to override a statutory body. “This decision rests solely with the CADA board,” he maintained.
For now, the denotification proposal remains stalled, dealing a major setback to the high-profile project touted as a big-ticket investment near the airport.
