VASCO
While public hearings in Mormugao taluka have largely witnessed strong objections and at times even tense moments, the public hearing at Sancoale on Friday for the proposed expansion of Dabolim Airport did not witness either strong objections or tense moments.
South Goa Collector Ajit Roy and Airport Director Gagan Malik were among the officials present for the public hearing in the presence of a maximum of 100 persons amid the Covid restrictions and provisions were made for virtual attendance and submissions for the public hearing.
While six participants had registered for the public hearing, two speakers Adv Savio Correia and Convenor of Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO) Fr Eremito Rebello spoke and two others placed their views on a virtual platform.
While there were no objections to the proposed expansion of Dabolim Airport, Fr Rebello came out in support of the expansion.
"I would like to appreciate and congratulate the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for their decision to expand the airport, which is the need of the hour. I don't think anyone will have any environmental objection to this proposal because the environmental damage is not there and if at all, it may be very minimal.”
“My only fear is that after the expansion of the airport, AAI must not give it in the hands of private players or industrialists. This airport has been operational since 1950 and should continue to be managed by AAI or the Government only," said Fr Rebello.
Environmental activist Adv. Savio Correia said for the first time in many years, this is the first non-polluting project proposed in Mormugao taluka.
"My purpose to attend the public hearing was not to oppose or object to the expansion but I raised three issues. The public hearing was irregular and not in compliance with the office memorandum of the ministry of environment and the EIA Notification 2006. I demanded that the hearing be adjourned and held on some other day as Sancoale Panchayat was kept in the dark and no draft copy of the EIA was placed in the panchayat," said Correia.
"I raised the issue of lack of parking facility in both existing and proposed airport terminals. As per their reports, around 6,500 passengers will be handled in peak hours and they are also expecting 11.6 million passengers in 2021 and not a single public parking space is available in the airport today.”
“I questioned the proponent and the EIA consultant over the land shown as parking area though the land is in the title dispute between comunidade and Navy and the other land which was earlier earmarked for parking but was later de-notified," said Correia.
"The third issue was on fresh water requirements and what was claimed is 700 KLD of water. While they claimed that they will get it from Goa PWD, at other place they said they will get it from ground water and I asked them to explain the contradiction. I also asked if they had any feasibility letter from PWD to supply 7 lakh litres of water per day," said Correia.
