The recent editorials in oHeraldo titled Sacrifice &
Speak up Goa are thought provoking and hope the same
awakens the susegad Goans to voice the demand for
planned and sustainable development of our beautiful
State before the final sell out. Unwanted projects
are being thrust down our throats and our politicians
have a care-a-damn attitude for the people of the
State while busy nesting their own interests to make a
quick buck from mega projects. Time and again various
Audit/Parliamentary committees have pointed out that
mega projects have been cleared hastily without any
realistic feasibility and these turn into white
elephants by the time they are completed, one such
case is the Tillari irrigation project.
Dabolim Airport is centrally located and the
Government must ask the Navy to vacate its illegal
occupation and relocate to Sea Bird as this being the
consensus opinion expressed by Goans. If exclusively
used for civilian traffic, and upgrading of
facilities, the Dabolim airport can easily cater for
the growing needs of Travel and tourism, as rightly
demanded by South Goa MP, Mr. Churchill Alemao and
others. The argument by the Navy that there are no
proper landing facilities at Sea Bird base near Karwar
is not an excuse, as it is up to them to establish
such facilities and not grab the one and only civilian
airport of Goa, besides occupying almost 70% of the
land in and around Vasco. The truth of the matter is
most officers from other parts of India like Goas
life style, and are keen to take up postings in Goa,
with the dream to settle down and live permanently.
It must be noted that Goa has contributed more than
its share of property to the defence forces already,
the recent addition being the free gift of Anjedevi
island to the Navy.
As a matter of extreme caution, the future projected
growth in the tourism sector must also not be taken
for granted, if proper planning is not adhered.
Tourism is a very fragile industry which depends on
clean environment, safe roads, communication,
decongestion and proper parking facilities,
cleanliness on beaches, uninterrupted power & water
supply, free from diseases like malaria, typhoid,
rabies & AIDS, law and order, security for tourists
and above all an effective drainage and garbage
disposal system. Lack of progress on all these fronts
will eventually mean death to the tourism industry. It
is high time the Government concentrates on these
issues first, and Goans must not be gullible to the
big balloons in the sky which are only meant to
divert our attention from the real issues. Moreover
overdevelopment will simply destroy tourism as is
happening in some parts of Europe and Southeast Asia.
Those dreaming of Mopa airport may better learn a
lesson from the much trumpeted Tillari project which
will not benefit Goa, as most of the land meant for
cultivation is already concretised. The paradox of
all this may end up Goa with 2 airports and no tourism
!
Who will benefit then ? only the Ministers ! for
they have made their crores
Geraldo Oliveira
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