The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has begun theprocess of giving environment clearance to the Greenfield airport at Mopa inGoa, state chief minister Manohar Parrikar told the state legislative assemblytoday.
Parrikar said that “the matter has been cleared at theenvironment ministry (MOEF) level in its meeting on January 28.” “There arefurther studies required that would be taken now,” the chief minister added.
Independent legislator Vijay Sardesai had raised the issueof environment clearance to Mopa airport, a Greenfield project.
The legislator, who heads the movement opposing theGreenfield project at Mopa, claimed that the various preconditions suggested byICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) were ignored by the state governmentin its hurry to go ahead with the project.
“ICAO had suggested that there should be comprehensiveairport strategy while constructing Mopa as another airport is already existingin the state,” Sardesai said.
The Chief Minister quoting ICAO report, which was publishedin the year 2007, said that there was a need to have two airports in the stateas existing Dabolim airport would be saturated due to increasing flow oftraffic.
Parrikar also ruled out the notion that Mopa airport wouldbenefit Maharashtra, more than Goa, although it is situated on the border. “Theairport is 25 kms away from Maharashtra border,” he said, requesting thespeaker of legislative assembly to allow half an hour debate on the issue sothat “Goa government’s stand on the issue can be clarified.”
