At an Environmental Impact Assessment - Study for the proposed GREENFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT at Mopa held today 1st February,2015 over 63 persons including six women made oral presentations to the committee.
Beginning the hearing the undersigned raised the issue of a) whether any of the six signatories viz: Jayant Kumar Joshi. Raja Subbaratna Prasad Sudhir Saxena Dr Chiranjibi Pattanaik Mr. S V Subramanyam and P Jayakumar of QCI/NABET Accredited EIA Consultancy Organisation i.e Engineers India Limited - a Govt of India undertaking to the four phases (2020, 2025, 2035,2045) 175 page report prepared on October, 2014 and signed on 25th and 27th November had personally visited the area of land acquired for the proposed Mopa International airport its allied activities viz the airport city with hotel offices business centre golf course employees accomodation etc to ascertain the ground reality. The answer given was that they have followed the TOR compliance system (meaning in short they did not visit the site) b) whether existing internantional airport at Dabolim, could co-exist as proposed by Govt of Goa was a reality when in fact the 3rd airport at Chipi was underway. This was not answered; c) whether the Navy would permit the continuation of Dabolim International airport once the 27 sq kms Mopa turns full fledged - given that they had a past record of gross violation of terms of agreement to permit the celebration of two customary feasts on 2nd February, and 4th October when the Island of Anjediv in Canacona taluka South Goa District was handed over for the use of Sea Bird project This was taken note of but not replied too. Other speakers who spoke included the ex CM, ex MP Mr Churchill Alemao who castigated the authorities who had prepared the report when a section of the report revealed the existence of Bengal foxes at Mopa Dr Joe D Souza ex Professor of the University of Goa also spoke on the lapses of the report considering the fact that he himself had steered several EIA reports and felt that the report was honky dory. Sadly the speakers of the Goa for Dabolim Airport viz who had otherwise maintained a spirited campaign for well over a year and half came almost two and half hours after many of the proponents and opponents had done their presentation they were Mr Jose Miranda, Fr Eremito Rebello Mr Abhijit and Mr Karapurkar . As a matter of fact the voice of Goans for Dabolim Airport Only was feeble and apparently did not register the opposition to the proposed Mopa International Airport, Most ironically some of the speakers like a chartered accountant Mr R Kakodar who was vociferously speaking a day before the hearing i.e 31st January, 2015 did not make his presence felt. Even the MLA of Curtorim and Fatorda who made their presence felt at the Lohia Maidan were no where in sight. Mr Ramesh Gauns a retired teacher raised preliminary objections on the sanctity of the EIA report and others grievances of the affected people There were others like Dr N Sawal Mr Khandolkar Mr Glen Ticlo who were present besides ex MP Mr Khalap who made a plea for safeguarding the interests of people of VP of Ugeum Tamboxrem Mopa and Varkhand -- Others who spoke against Mopa were Sandeep Kambli an activist leading the anti Mopa agitation. By and large while it appeared that the atmosphere was volatile to near critical leading to intervention by police to quell bouts of unruly behaviour of some of the pro Mopa proponent their sporadic jeers for those who did not display a pro Mopa proposition with words like "ush ush renting in the air .. Not only wa Mr Alemao booed when he sought an out of turn chance to speak but so also Fr Eremito. The general opposition comes from the Dhangar community - 16 families who feared that their grazing pastures would deprive them of bread earnings. The other was to the fear that the earnings of 40 lacs per annum from cashew trees would go. the people in the low lying villages would suffer with the destruction of 44 springs, the existence of bauxite is undeniable but none want the accompanying dust pollution and would prefer their traditional occupations. One of them expressed doubts that jobs would not go to locals as promised as a case in point was that the pandal erected at the venue was by a party from Kolhapur. There was a passionate plea to save the sacred groves from Mopa for the benefit of the villagers. The rate offered of Rs 40 per sq mts was a pittance according to some and their demand was for a reasonable market rate of Rs.500/- With the Chandel irrigation there was demand that water harvesting should be taken up on top priority The distance to Mopa from Margao is around 66 kms and can be reached by private transport within 1 hrs 40 minutes along the NH 17 from via Panaji - Mapusa by pass Dhargal Vagzar and 2.8 kms up Mopa plateau By and large the hearing was peaceful but shouting down one another added moments of laughter for people of Pernem the Mopa Airport was a fait accompi from the Mopa Plateu GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES, BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA) +91 98221 58584 (24 HRS) gonsalvesgodfre...@yahoo.co.in
