Advocate JohnMonteiro who polled over 4,000 votes from Cuncolim and was instrumental inJoaquim Alemao’s loss pointed out that Cuncolim played a major role duringopinion poll and is ready to play the same if required now also to fight tosave Dabolim. Taking a dig at Dr Pramod Sawant from the BJP, Monteiro pointedout that he is forced to join hands with Vijai and others as Parrikar is continuouslymaking u-turns while his real performance has been zero.
Speaking on thetechnicalities of two airports, former Hotel Association president SerafinoCotta pointed out that the international Charter flight directory or brochurelists hotels only within the 50 kms radius of an airport while other hotels arethen known as free independent traders citing the example of Canacona’s LalitIntercontinental Hotel.
Pointing outthat Mopa would wipe out the southern coastal of Colva, Cavelossim and Benaulimbesides Majorda, Bogmalo and Velsao of tourism, Serafino asserted that Mopabeyond 70 kms from Dabolim cannot be feasible. He also asserted that unlikeDubai and Mumbai where the airports are in very close proximity and multipleairports are allowed to function, Mopa and Dabolim are not and Dabolim willhave to shut down immediately after Mopa opens. The former Hotel AssociationChief and former employee of the airport pointed that revenues of RS 3,600crores from luxury and sales taxes right down to sale of poultry and meatswhich comes from Goa’s tourism industry will crash with Mopa being setup whileneighbouring Maharashtra will gain from setting up a new tourism industry whichincludes kickbacks to Goan politicians in the Congress and BJP.
Former Navelim SarpanchTishut Themudo pointed that from Opinion poll to GBA, it’s sad that Goans haveto continuously come on the streets to fight for their rights while politicianserred. “ Its very clear that there is land in Dabolim. Another runaway can beeasily created at Daboli itself but land there is being utilized to houseex-Navy officers and Bernard Costa’s land has been denotified to show a chaosin Dabolim and the propose Mopa.”
Themudo pointedout that currently tourism is bursting at its seams and Goa doesn’t need anadditional amount of flight like Mumbai or Atlanta and then see that everythingis bulldozed and politicians make p
PrasadGaonkar who polled 5,800 votes fromSanguem and is credited for playing a role in defeating the family Raj byhelping in the defeat of Yuri Alemao, pointed out that airports should be builtfor Panjim and Pernem only but Goa’s extreme south population should also betaken into account and the equidistant Dabolim should be maintained.
Similarlystudent leader Nolan Antao from Majorda pointed out that Goans studyingengineering and other sectors of graduation are more forced to find jobs inPune, Bangalore and Mumbai with no option in Goa. Nolan urged the CM to createindustries that will employ Goans and not outsiders first and then think ofambitious airports.
While pointingout that Ram Manohar came from UP to fight for Goan liberation and the GBAfought for Goa’s land and Goans won the opinion poll for themselves, theCongress Opposition are today conge (apple snails) and have been muted againstParrikar’s corruption. Pointing out that Minister’s only get beacons on theirvehicles in the Parrikar government will he holds the horses in an undemocraticmanner, Mohandas Lolyenkar flayed the Chief Minister for running a dictatorshipand draining the coffers by making schemes applicable to all with no incomeslabs and thereby increasing inflation by bringing in more cash in the marketand increasing spending power.
Mopa’s SandeepKamble who travelled all the way from Mopa to Margao to fight for his villagersrights at the Goemkar meeting exclaimed that just how Churchill was silencedwhen he forgot Dabolim, Parrikar will soon be silenced as he plans to burryMopa’s fields.
“ Perne has nobus-stop but Parrikar wants an airport in Mopa and his new bride MLA Arlekarfrom Dhargalim is there only to make land deals and sell Mopa’s land. Parrikarpoints out that Mopa will be buried for hotels, motels and hubs and Goa will besix-laned with roads and then where are people to stay? Like moles in littleunderground holes after we lose all our livelihood and land while Maharastrabegins construction of a new hotel industry? Questioned Sandeep.
Dr Babita Anglewho also joined the Goemkar bandwagon pointed out that the Vasco rape has shownthat Goa is not safe. While pointing out involvement of police in sexual actsand prostitution and molestation, Dr Angle stated that wants to represent theeducated class of Goa and tell the CM that Goa’s also has a literate andeducated class and Goa’s scholar is not him the IITian only. She flayed the CMfor increasing crime against women ad eve-teasing along the coastline statingthat women in Goa are now not safe.
Activist AiresRodrigues while highlighting India’s win against England in cricket pointed outthat Goa is currently playing a long drawn test match against the sigle handParrikar who is handling Goa like his own personal property and blatantlymisusing the mandate given to him.
“ We have seenhim appoint tainted Information Commissioners and how I ousted them. We haveseen Parrikar’s parivartan turn to gutten and gutter and now I don’t have tofear his government stability as it will slip and fall anytime soon. Goemkarwill be the real Parivartan and we keep our fingers crossed that parrikar willreform his dictator ways and take the people into confidence,” asserted Aires.
Amongst otherswho spoke and were present on the dais were Prashant Naik, Dr Francis Colaco, andformer ZP Chairpersons Maria Rebello and Cleofacio Dias.
