MARGAO
Reminding him of his strong stand against the proposed Mopa airport project as MLA of Fatorda constituency, the Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO) has exuded confidence that the TCP Minister, Vijai Sardesai will act in his newfound position to ensure that the controversial airport project is scrapped forthwith before it destroys the Goan economy, environment, demography and identity.
Saying that Sardesai had even questioned the then government’s undue haste in floating the Request for Qualification (RFQ) at a time when the project had not even obtained the environment clearances, GFDO Convenor Fr Eremito Rebello said Sardesai is today a crucial and integral part of Goa’s newly constituted government, well placed in a position that enables him to take decisive action to put a halt to this contentious and destructive project.
A delegation led by Fr Eremito Rebello handed over a memorandum to Sardesai saying that as Goa’s TCP Minister, he will be presiding over a Draft Regional Plan that has been prepared with the proposed Mopa Airport as its basis and fulcrum.
“How does that reconcile with your strong stand in the past on this issue? The ramifications of the cascading effects of the second airport from a TCP view point, also needs to be seriously considered. A 6-lane North-South expressway,which is a pre-condition for Mopa airport, will bisect every village along its route.”
“This will destroy many Goan villages completely, creating socio-economic problems and environmental degradation all along the length of the State,” Fr Eremito said.
He pointed out that in light of his recent endeavor as TCP Minister to preserve and protect traditional homes, Sardesai will surely appreciate the fact that this project will demand the destruction of traditional homes, heritage structures, agricultural lands and ecological hotspots to make way for the new infrastructure that is a pre-condition for the second airport.
The memorandum pointed out that it is clear that the proposed PPP airport is not only doomed to fail, but will also drag Goa into a downward spiral towards economic collapse.
“The numerous artificial boosters for airport traffic that will need to be created just to sustain the economically unviable second airport, such as 5-Star Hotels, big malls, an Ice City, Fun City, Sports City, IT City, golf courses, etc. and other grandiose plans of the state government, will put the public exchequer under further pressure of massive debt and destroy the existing Goan economy,” Fr Eremito added.
He recollected how it was at his instance that a large number of panchayats had adopted resolutions opposing the Mopa Airport and demanding that only Dabolim be developed as international airport.
