March 3, 2014
FOR FAVOUR OF PUBLICATION
In a statement issued here today, the GFDO said that it was interesting that
the BJP Minister for Forests and Environment had raised the issue of the
“illegality” of the Navy’s occupation of Dabolim at a public interaction
held in Cansaulim. It was surprising however, that the BJP Minister felt
compelled to call upon the people to unite and put an end to the Navy’s
occupation of Dabolim.
The people of Goa remain perplexed as to why the common citizens are needed
to step into the breach and address this issue, when there is an elected
majority government in place, to deal with such matters that are connected
to protection of the state’s legitimate right over its resources. GFDO would
also like to know what steps the BJP government has taken in this regard.
In fact, since the Chief Minister has publicly claimed that the Navy will
not part with an inch of land for expansion of Dabolim airport, the people
of Goa also have a right to know when his government had formally approached
the Navy for additional land for expansion of the airport. The Navy’s reply
in this regard should also be put in the public domain for the sake of
transparency.
The Chief Minister should also explain to his people how his stand in
leading a delegation to Delhi to plead for Special Status for Goa,
ostensibly to preserve and protect Goan identity and scarce Goan land, fits
in and reconciles with his action in snatching 84 lakh square metres of Goan
land, from Goan farmers to gift to private individuals for the setting up of
a totally superfluous and clearly unviable Public Private Partnership
airport at Mopa.
In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that this BJP government has
absolutely no justification for this move as can be seen from the Chief
Minister’s mysterious and compelling silence to constant and ongoing queries
from the public and the GFDO, about his government’s strange obsession with
building an airport at Mopa. This ill considered and unviable fixation flies
in the face of facts and figures from expert reports that flatly contradict
the logic of this project being executed at great cost to Goa and Goans. Or
is it that this government feels that the people who have elected it into
power have no right to know the crucial facts that will seriously impact
their land and their future.
For GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY
Fr. Eremito Rebelo
Convenor
