Check out the opening lines of TOI's 19/8/08 story titled 'Monsoon session: Netas get down to business: Airport issue addressed, Oppn takes pot shots at govt'. "The Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Monday assured the legislative assembly that Dabolim airport will be maintained as the international airport with proper upgradation even after Mopa becomes operational. Replying to the general discussion on the budget ... Kamat made an impassioned plea to the house .'Let us unanimously support this proposal to keep both airports. With this clarification let us consider this discussion closed,' Kamat said. Mopa's big opponent, Churchill Alemao, who was sitting just behind Kamat, thumped the desk in approval".
1. Only a few months ago Kamat had said on national TV that Mopa would be international while Dabolim would be domestic. Why the switch now? Or is the plan to have two international airports that would compete to see which one would win out over the other? The expression "even after Mopa becomes operational" may be a pointer to the latter. 2. Why the "mpassioned plea" to consider the discussion of two airports "closed"? This is a clear sign of some sort of hanky panky to which we better wake up before it is too late. Having proposed a two airport system the onus is on Kamat and GOG to take the people into confidence as to how exactly it would work. The discussion must begin, not end. It's funny that the renowned "Leader of the Opposition" said lots about other things but nothing at all about the airport(s) issue (apart from a stray reference to Kamat's frequent flights to Delhi to keep his squabbling flock together). 3. What is Alemao approving? Only yesterday we had posted the bit about his "slamming" the government in an I-Day speech for any kind of airport at Mopa. Who would be fooled by the TOI line in this article? Maybe many, many more than one would expect judging by the huge yawns and snores from all around. Sweet dreams, Goa.