PERNEM
Tension flared up outside the Manohar International Airport in Mopa on Monday as hundreds of taxi operators along with leaders of taxi associations and different political parties protested against the hike in parking fees at the airport even as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured to keep the parking fee hike on hold till October 3.
The taximen and the political leaders entered the Mopa airport area and tried to enter the Mopa Airport administrative building, but they were stopped by a strong police force.
The agitating taxi operators who arrived from different parts of the State were protesting against the hike in parking fees from Rs 80 to Rs 200, which had been enforced without taking the taxi operators into confidence.
One of the leaders of the taxi association warned that if the parking fees at were not rolled back, their agitation would spread across the State.
Last week, former deputy chief minister Babu Ajgaonkar had warned that if the Mopa Airport did not rollback on the parking fees within 48 hours, the taxi operators would stage a protest.
Since Mopa airport authorities did not reduce the parking fees, the Shiv Warriors United Taxi Brothers Association, a group representing taxi operators at Mopa airport, launched a protest at the old main entrance of the Mopa Airport on Monday morning.
They were joined by Goa Forward Party President and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, RGP President Manoj Borkar, leaders of other parties and other taxi associations.
As the situation became tense, Mopa Police Inspector Narayan Chimulkar got in touch with the Pernem Mamlatdar Ranjit Salgaonkar, who rushed to the site.
Addressing the agitating taxi operators, Sardesai claimed that the Mopa airport management had not provided any facilities to the locals.
“Since the last two years, taxi operators have been fighting for benefits, but for some reason or the other, the Mopa airport company and the State government have been indifferent to the demands of the taxi operators, forcing them to protest on the streets,” said Sardesai.
Parab said it was shameful that women were also forced to take part in the agitation.
“The BJP government has failed to provide justice to the locals by keeping this issue pending since the Mopa airport was inaugurated,” said Parab, while warning that the agitation would be intensified across the State.
All Goa Taxi Association President Chetan Kamat, former ZP member Deepak Kalangutkar, Advocate Amit Sawant, Shiv Warriors United Taxi Brothers Association leaders Rama Warang and Nikhil Mahale, as well as Anand Gawas also addressed the protesters.
Mopa Police Inspector Narayan Chimulkar, Pernem Police Inspector Sachin Lokre, Pernem DySP Salim Sheikh and a strong police force from Pernem taluka and the Traffic police were stationed at the site to maintain law and order.
MEETING WITH CM
Vijay Sardesai and Manoj Parab then led a delegation of taxi association leaders to Panaji to meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, while the other taxi operators remained outside the Mopa airport administrative building.
After holding discussions with the chief minister, the taxi delegation stated that the CM had assured to keep the parking fee hike on hold till October 3, and would meet with the taxi leaders to discuss the parking fee hike and other issues.
Sardesai, Parab and the delegation of taxi association leaders returned to Mopa Airport on Monday evening and met the agitating taxi operators. Satisfied with the chief minister’s assurance, the taxi operators decided to call off their protest.
