[Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
MOPA: Buy Rs 3000 crore Airport; Get Rs 20,000 crore Real Estate free 84 lakh sq m Mopa land was acquired under Land Acquisition Act, 1894 solely for the public purpose of airport. The Government has now disclosed in the RFQ that it will allot 15.4 lakh sq-m of this land for non-airport purposes. The Real Estate expense is further bloated by un-mindful and unprecedented increase in FAR from 60% to 400%. Such an ill-conceived monstrous-city will be disharmonious with pristine Goa and unsustainable in the vicinity of sensitive ecology of the Western Ghats. People of Goa are aware that the proposed cost of Airport is only Rs 3000 crore, while the cost of non-aviation Real Estate would be over Rs 20,000 crore. Summarily, Mopa is less of an Airport and more of a Real Estate project akin to SEZs, which were banished from Goa years ago Goans can easily read the designs of corrupt politicians, who are trying to perpetrate a Real Estate scam in the garb of an Airport. The developers participating in the RFQ also must realize this anti-people, anti-environment, arbitrary and illegal plan of Goa’s corrupt politicians. In the past, many Real Estate scams in the guise of SEZs were foiled by the alert Goans. The said SEZs having been declared illegal by the Courts and the promoters are pleading for compensation against their investments. The businessmen must know that “doing business” is a mere “privilege” and the “protection from arbitrary acts of the politicians” is the “right” of the people enshrined in the Constitution of India. GFDO hereby makes the developers attending the Mopa Airport pre-bid meeting that it would be solely their risk and responsibility if they commit or invest on the basis of arbitrary or illegal offers by the politicians. Public at large, which is the “sovereign” in India; reserve their right to get such arbitrary or illegal acts struck down either through the people’s court or through the process of judicial review. The public at large or its trustee “the government” will not be liable for any losses they may incur on account of any arbitrary or anti-people act of the corrupt politicians. Creating an illusion of “airport” in a largely “non-aviation Real Estate project” itself speaks of the colourable exercise of powers on part of the politicians. Fr Eremito Rebelo Convenor, GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
Dear Edwin, I hear you loud and clear that official religious bodies must not get enmeshed and perhaps nor even allow themselves to be held in thrall. Goans can still have their deserved Francis moment in many forms, through individuals of various vocations (meant in its plurality), interests, and motivations. Not quite yet as I feel. We are a different people. Its a question of learning to see, and believe. It is true that my response appeared to disregard others, but it was essentially about using any means necessary as ideas, and values get inculcated. But yes to all you say. Its just that in my view earlier from within India and now from outside, I have seen some stirring individuals in Goa who happen to be priests. They have devoted various energies and at certain points can be catalysts while the ramping goes up. Many work deeply in impoverished communities, as also with the powerful. Again the idea at this point is by any means necessary. II Recently Goa had a visitor Fr. Prakash II Goans have to allow themselves to desire, to seek and weigh counsel, as well as embrace those spiritual qualities you aptly raise, like justice, courage, the universality of human beings, and our interdependence and inter connectedness with each other and with the environment. That would have immense bearing in developing a strong and unified collective mind, or in other words bring about the supposed Hundredth monkey effect. Thank you, Venantius J Pinto On 3/20/14, Edwin/Diana Pinto eddipi...@gmail.com wrote: Venantius, thanks for responding to our GFDO press statement. Yes indeed, it is becoming increasingly clear to us here in Goa that our world is fast evolving, but as you have expressed, it is hardly a natural evolution. The stage has been set for the disempowerment of Goans - all Goans irrespective of North, South, caste or creed in a skilfully run race to capture the resources of the state and force people into a soul deadening, mechanical and colourless way of life. While there may be varying shades of opinion about this, what is worrying is that people's choices are being eroded and limited to suit vested interests. When the erstwhile ruling dispensation was propagating and supporting casinos and Mopa and mining, the then opposition screamed themselves hoarse against it. Now in the seat of power, their modus operandi mimics their predecessor, in fact taking it to a far higher level, except that while the Congress did it stupidly, the BJP does it astutely, blaming the Congress for all the pitfalls, even as it consolidates and builds upon it while maxmising the profits. However, I do not think that official religious bodies must plunge into fighting these menaces. The leadership must spring forth from ordinary citizens. Of course, just as some of these citizens may be doctors, bankers, lawyers, they may also coincidentally be Catholic priests or Hindu Bhats. The thing is that their role in these campaigns are as concerned citizens. With regard to GFDO, it must be clarified that while the Convenor happens to be a Catholic priest, this is essentially in his individual capacity. The GFDO core committee has a number of members holding various religious beliefs, but united by one strong, single belief that we must pool our resources in fighting the imposition of a system that is destructive for a healthy, human way of life and the fear that time has almost run out. The Church or the temples may or may not support or subscribe to this campaign. That is their choice. In any case, I strongly feel that religious bodies like churches, temples and mosques, must focus on broad spiritual qualities like justice, courage, the universality of human beings, and our interdependence and inter connectedness with each other and with the environment. If people imbibe these qualities well enough, they themselves will be able to better analyse and understand the situation at ground level and take the necessary action and get involved with the affairs of the community. That would be more enduring than having someone else fight our battles. This of course, is must my opinion. Best regards, Edwin Pinto -Original Message- From: Venantius J Pinto Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 8:17 AM To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! Cc: Edwin/Diana Pinto Subject: Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO The ecclesiastical intelligentsia is finally coming out promising to take on the hydra. I hope we will not have a repeat as in the recent past where Christian idiots (supposedly clear thinkers) questioned the priests getting into politics and what not. The political machine is a juggernaut and all parties are siblings of the same entity. In their rapaciousness some benefit for some time, but generally speaking, its a skinning and burning of what was Goan, and I mean it from a pan-cultural perspective. There was no need to remake Goa into something grotesque
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
Venantius, thanks for responding to our GFDO press statement. Yes indeed, it is becoming increasingly clear to us here in Goa that our world is fast evolving, but as you have expressed, it is hardly a natural evolution. The stage has been set for the disempowerment of Goans - all Goans irrespective of North, South, caste or creed in a skilfully run race to capture the resources of the state and force people into a soul deadening, mechanical and colourless way of life. While there may be varying shades of opinion about this, what is worrying is that people's choices are being eroded and limited to suit vested interests. When the erstwhile ruling dispensation was propagating and supporting casinos and Mopa and mining, the then opposition screamed themselves hoarse against it. Now in the seat of power, their modus operandi mimics their predecessor, in fact taking it to a far higher level, except that while the Congress did it stupidly, the BJP does it astutely, blaming the Congress for all the pitfalls, even as it consolidates and builds upon it while maxmising the profits. However, I do not think that official religious bodies must plunge into fighting these menaces. The leadership must spring forth from ordinary citizens. Of course, just as some of these citizens may be doctors, bankers, lawyers, they may also coincidentally be Catholic priests or Hindu Bhats. The thing is that their role in these campaigns are as concerned citizens. With regard to GFDO, it must be clarified that while the Convenor happens to be a Catholic priest, this is essentially in his individual capacity. The GFDO core committee has a number of members holding various religious beliefs, but united by one strong, single belief that we must pool our resources in fighting the imposition of a system that is destructive for a healthy, human way of life and the fear that time has almost run out. The Church or the temples may or may not support or subscribe to this campaign. That is their choice. In any case, I strongly feel that religious bodies like churches, temples and mosques, must focus on broad spiritual qualities like justice, courage, the universality of human beings, and our interdependence and inter connectedness with each other and with the environment. If people imbibe these qualities well enough, they themselves will be able to better analyse and understand the situation at ground level and take the necessary action and get involved with the affairs of the community. That would be more enduring than having someone else fight our battles. This of course, is must my opinion. Best regards, Edwin Pinto -Original Message- From: Venantius J Pinto Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 8:17 AM To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! Cc: Edwin/Diana Pinto Subject: Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO The ecclesiastical intelligentsia is finally coming out promising to take on the hydra. I hope we will not have a repeat as in the recent past where Christian idiots (supposedly clear thinkers) questioned the priests getting into politics and what not. The political machine is a juggernaut and all parties are siblings of the same entity. In their rapaciousness some benefit for some time, but generally speaking, its a skinning and burning of what was Goan, and I mean it from a pan-cultural perspective. There was no need to remake Goa into something grotesque by allowing the worst in the Indian social fabric to become commonplace in the Goan imagination. The political will was an exercise to snuff out Goan life not just as it was, but to go even further by not allowing for any possibility to allow for an empowered evolution, ergo empowered development. It simply did not behoove Secretaries of State, and the malignant politicians to embrace and promulgate ideas across the lines. This is the worst part of the Indian political imagination. Many Christians did embrace ideas, effulgences, aesthetic tropes, values, even poshak albeit within reason. Having been not exactly slack in my observations; lived (really lived) as I have, as it were, smack in the middle of the other culture, in an existence that saw fruition on account of where we were raised, the values inculcated by my Father, along with the rank and file at BPT, and also the neighborhood we lived in--I am now in no doubt that certain classes simply saw Christians as strange, in some cases a bit more progressive than what was kosher at the moment, having a bit more fun (sounds retarded but true), for some cocky, cool, flaunting a western lived aesthetic, all traits and embraces which deserved to be emasculated somewhere down the line. In the meanwhile others have found a resonance with the attitudes of those same classes, strive for all that they earlier loathed, and which they now possess in abundance and cannot have enough of--yet remain Janus-faced. We truly are a strange people. Feudalism and sleight of mind! Some will still manage
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
The ecclesiastical intelligentsia is finally coming out promising to take on the hydra. I hope we will not have a repeat as in the recent past where Christian idiots (supposedly clear thinkers) questioned the priests getting into politics and what not. The political machine is a juggernaut and all parties are siblings of the same entity. In their rapaciousness some benefit for some time, but generally speaking, its a skinning and burning of what was Goan, and I mean it from a pan-cultural perspective. There was no need to remake Goa into something grotesque by allowing the worst in the Indian social fabric to become commonplace in the Goan imagination. The political will was an exercise to snuff out Goan life not just as it was, but to go even further by not allowing for any possibility to allow for an empowered evolution, ergo empowered development. It simply did not behoove Secretaries of State, and the malignant politicians to embrace and promulgate ideas across the lines. This is the worst part of the Indian political imagination. Many Christians did embrace ideas, effulgences, aesthetic tropes, values, even poshak albeit within reason. Having been not exactly slack in my observations; lived (really lived) as I have, as it were, smack in the middle of the other culture, in an existence that saw fruition on account of where we were raised, the values inculcated by my Father, along with the rank and file at BPT, and also the neighborhood we lived in--I am now in no doubt that certain classes simply saw Christians as strange, in some cases a bit more progressive than what was kosher at the moment, having a bit more fun (sounds retarded but true), for some cocky, cool, flaunting a western lived aesthetic, all traits and embraces which deserved to be emasculated somewhere down the line. In the meanwhile others have found a resonance with the attitudes of those same classes, strive for all that they earlier loathed, and which they now possess in abundance and cannot have enough of--yet remain Janus-faced. We truly are a strange people. Feudalism and sleight of mind! Some will still manage to persevere, but the smaller ones are done in unless grace settles ON the various minds playing out such violence, which in real terms is Malthusian. These movements like pushing MOPA is another way to depress the worth of the individual worth, of villages, and productivity at all levels by shifting the nature and form of the economy to cause essentially death and a surrendering of the will and spirit. Most cannot last such an onslaught. I am very happy to hear that more priests are getting into this, and the opportunity must be seized by Hindu priests, and those of other beliefs to stand together, come together at these moments of reckoning. Best all. Venantius J Pinto On 3/18/14, Edwin/Diana Pinto eddipi...@gmail.com wrote: PRESS NOTE FROM GFDO GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY said that Chief Minister Parrikar needs to explain to Goans why he is so determined to hand over the entire tourism industry of Goa to Maharashtra by going ahead with the setting up of the private airport at Mopa. All Goans are well aware that the centrally located Dabolim Airport has benefitted North Goa tourist spots immensely. The famous hotspots of Goan tourism like Candolim, Calangute, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Mandrem, Arambol etc. are all located in North Goa and have been benefitted and well served by Dabolim Airport over the decades. But all that will change once Mopa Airport becomes a reality to serve as the international airport for the virgin beaches of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, since Chipi is only a domestic airport. The commissioning of Mopa Airport will deal a death blow to both the North as well as the South Goan tourism industry, resulting in a massive loss of jobs and livelihood of tourism dependent Goans and downscaling of the Goan economy as Mopa Airport facilitates a tourist exodus to Sindhudurg. For almost a year now, the Chief Minister has doggedly refused to refute the facts and figures put out by experts like the International Civil Aviation Organistion (ICAO) and ADPi and give any concrete and credible reason to justify his obsession with building Mopa Airport. The Chief Minister also needs to clarify whether the 10,000 jobs he claims will be generated by Mopa Airport will be for migrants or for Goans. After all, Goans have not forgotten the track record of this government. For the Lusofonia games, taxi driving jobs were handed over to outsiders on a silver platter. Olacab too, was allowed to ply in Goa under the watch of the Parrikar government, until the people protested. In Goan Industrial Estates, it will be noted that 80% of workers are migrants. If the government cannot ensure jobs for Goans in projects where it is supposed to be in full control, then Mr. Parrikar needs to explain how his government (if it manages to survive till then), will succeed in forcing a private
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
PRESS NOTE FROM GFDO GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY said that Chief Minister Parrikar needs to explain to Goans why he is so determined to hand over the entire tourism industry of Goa to Maharashtra by going ahead with the setting up of the private airport at Mopa. All Goans are well aware that the centrally located Dabolim Airport has benefitted North Goa tourist spots immensely. The famous hotspots of Goan tourism like Candolim, Calangute, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Mandrem, Arambol etc. are all located in North Goa and have been benefitted and well served by Dabolim Airport over the decades. But all that will change once Mopa Airport becomes a reality to serve as the international airport for the virgin beaches of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, since Chipi is only a domestic airport. The commissioning of Mopa Airport will deal a death blow to both the North as well as the South Goan tourism industry, resulting in a massive loss of jobs and livelihood of tourism dependent Goans and downscaling of the Goan economy as Mopa Airport facilitates a tourist exodus to Sindhudurg. For almost a year now, the Chief Minister has doggedly refused to refute the facts and figures put out by experts like the International Civil Aviation Organistion (ICAO) and ADPi and give any concrete and credible reason to justify his obsession with building Mopa Airport. The Chief Minister also needs to clarify whether the 10,000 jobs he claims will be generated by Mopa Airport will be for migrants or for Goans. After all, Goans have not forgotten the track record of this government. For the Lusofonia games, taxi driving jobs were handed over to outsiders on a silver platter. Olacab too, was allowed to ply in Goa under the watch of the Parrikar government, until the people protested. In Goan Industrial Estates, it will be noted that 80% of workers are migrants. If the government cannot ensure jobs for Goans in projects where it is supposed to be in full control, then Mr. Parrikar needs to explain how his government (if it manages to survive till then), will succeed in forcing a private entrepreneur who operates Mopa Airport solely on profit basis, to give jobs to Goans? It is abundantly clear that while this government on one hand, goes with a begging bowl to the Prime Minister asking for Special Status for Goa, on the other hand, it is itself unscrupulously handing over Goa and Goan interests not only to neigbouring states, but also to every non Goan who lands here with money jingling in his pocket and ambitious dreams implemented at the cost of our beautiful land, its people and identity. GFDO therefore, plans to hold a massive public meeting at Azad Maidan in Panaji, to expose the stand of various parties who are in the fray for the 2014 Parliamentary elections. In the meantime, GFDO urges the people of Goa to closely scrutinise and assess the stands of their respective candidates and their respective parties that have taken a stand for Mopa against Goan interests – North as well as South. For GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY Fr. Eremito Rebelo Convenor
[Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
October 11, 2013 PRESS STATEMENT GFDO expressed disappointment that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had completed the land acquisition started by the previous regime for Mopa. It is surprising that even though the Environment Impact Assessment for the second airport in Goa has not yet been done, both the erstwhile Congress as well the present BJP dispensations have assumed that the EIA will be favourable for the setting up of the second airport in an environmentally sensitive region. GFDO stated that Chief Minister Parrikar should realise that the time for blaming the previous government for every problem faced by Goa is now over. Goans are well aware of what has been done in the past. The moot question is, what is being done now! GFDO pointed out that the people of Goa had done their part when they voted out the previous government and strengthened Mr. Parrikar’s hands by giving him a clear majority. Since that day of much hope and potential, the people of Goa seem to be waiting in vain for the Chief Minister and his government to do their part. Mr. Parrikar will therefore surely understand why the people of Goa are so distressed that he has chosen to blatantly continue going along with anti people policies of the past that have been categorically rejected by Goans. He continues to go against his own people by acquiring their land and displacing them for the construction of a totally unwarranted second airport for the state. The people of Goa have a right to know why Mr. Parrikar feels the need to traumatise his own people by acquiring their land and disrupting their way of life, even before the Environment Impact Assessment that would throw light upon the very feasibility of this project has been conducted. His unwillingness to justify his government’s eagerness to construct this second airport, is certainly grounds for suspicion as to its motives in this regard. If Mr. Parrikar insists on going against the interest of Goa and Goans, then the people of Goa will be compelled to make their decision known in the near future as to the wisdom and merit of a government policy that is more concerned about fulfilling the profit motive of vested interests even at the cost of destruction of lives and livelihoods of Goans. GFDO said that it is now absolutely certain that the Mopa project is only in winter hibernation as long as the status quo is maintained for the land acquired for it from poor, helpless Goans. Until this land is returned to its rightful owners, the people are well aware that the shadow of Mopa is only “in deep slumber” to arise and torment Goans all over again once election season is over. Therefore, GFDO will not rest until the land snatched so callously from the people is returned to its rightful owners. Fr. Eremito Rebello Convenor
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
August 25, 2013 PRESS NOTE FROM GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY Goans for Dabolim Only fully supports Governor Wanchoo’s appeal made at the recent meeting of the Goa State Environmental Protection Council on August 22, for a greater involvement of citizens in protecting the environment of the state. However, the Governor will surely appreciate that this is extremely difficult when the government itself keeps imposing large projects on various Goan villages without conducting an Environment Impact Assessment, which is a very vital and indispensable tool for protecting the environment, especially in the case of large projects. Respect for the environment must emanate from the top. Democratic governments are elected by citizens as custodians and not ordinary vendors of natural community assets and resources like land. It is a canard being propagated by vested interests and their political collaborators that Goans are anti development. The failure of successive governments to put public project feasibility reports in the public domain, has left citizens groping in the dark. The inability of the administration to control, regulate and ensure that all commercialisation of community resources like mining for example, are conducted strictly within legal and sustainable parameters, makes the state itself the biggest culprit in destroying the environment. That is why the people of Cuncolim have understandably expressed strong opposition to the establishment of the NIT in their village. After all, 6 lakhs sq. metres of their precious village land is being acquired, without even conducting the requisite EIA. Again in Mopa, the lives of villagers occupying 80 lakhs sq. metres of mainly agricultural land, with lakhs of cashew and other fruit-bearing trees providing a rich source of revenue and plenty of water, is being ruthlessly disrupted for land acquisition for an airport project when Goa already has a fully operational and well equipped existing airport. All this is being pushed through without any analysis of its likely impact on the environment, even though the Western Ghats in its vicinity is a UNESCO heritage site and Goa is a signatory to a protocol for the protection of the Western Ghats. As the first citizen of Goa, GFDO appeals to the Governor to lead the citizens in their mission to protect the state’s environment by ensuring that the government take people into confidence before imposing new projects. To emotionally carry the people along with its plans, the government must treat citizens as stakeholders and make public the Environment Impact Assessments, plans for garbage management and treatment and quantum of power and water that will be needed. This should be made public even before commencement of land acquisition process. The government also needs to carry the people through the various processes and explain to them why the projects need such a vast area of land. Because after all, it is only stakeholders who are motivated by a feeling of involvement. In fact, as is evident in the past few years, the attitude of successive governments has been to restrict the involvement of citizens in any of the projects, despite the administrative inability and irresponsibility that we have seen in dealing with the repercussions of these projects on the lives of the people and their environment. Unless these mechanisms are put in place, it becomes extremely difficult for citizens to be involved in protecting the environment and under the circumstances, totally unfair that they be called upon to do so. Fr. Eremito Rebello Convenor
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
July 18, 2013 PRESS NOTE GFDO expressed shock at the CM’s latest U turn on the state government’s assurance to the AAI at the meeting held on 12th May, 2006 that land for city side airport infrastructure would be made available to them. Based on this assurance, Rs.600 Crores was invested by AAI towards the construction of a New Terminal and Apron, as part of the planned, on-going expansion of Goa airport at Dabolim. The AAI has already paid the government an amount of Rs.4.23 crores towards the land promised for this purpose. In fact, it will be recalled that Mr. Parrikar, during his stint as Leader of Opposition, had vociferously alleged that the denotification of Sy.8/1 Dabolim, was a huge scam perpetrated by the previous government. He should now inform the people of Goa what exactly has changed in dealing with this alleged scam since he took over the reins of government. The CM has displayed his double standards when he refuses to allocate the promised additional land to the AAI for infrastructure for an existing airport that is servicing Goa’s aviation needs, and demands that it make optimum use of land already allocated to them. However, he is quite willing to hand over 80 lakhs sq. metres to private parties to construct a new airport, when the best airports around the world have been set up with only around 40 lakhs sq. metres. The people of Goa should also understand this government’s anti people policies that permit commercial construction on land notified for public purpose and thereafter inexplicably denotified. Productive agricultural land which Goans residing at Mopa depend upon for their livelihood and traditional way of life, however, is acquired for the construction of an unnecessary Private Public Partnership (PPP) airport for the profit of vested interests. It is amusing that the CM calls upon the AAI to hand over the additional “works” on the non existent land to the state when the State government has amply displayed that it cannot even manage Goa’s garbage problem let alone provide basic necessities like adequate water and power to the people in the last 16 months of its rule. According to GFDO, the attack on the AAI by the CM is just a ruse to provide an excuse for him to further strangulate Dabolim airport so as to fulfil the plans of vested interests in Mopa. GFDO earnestly appeals to the CM to display strength of character and fulfil the commitment of the state government, made on behalf of the people of Goa to hand over 36,800 sq. metres of land in Sy.8/1 Dabolim, or the 70,000 sq. metres promised in lieu of that, to ensure that urgently infrastructure is provided for the Goan economy and to maintain the credibility of Goa and Goans. For GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY Fr. Eremito Rebelo Convenor
Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO
According to GFDO, the attack on the AAI by the CM is just a ruse to provide an excuse for him to further strangulate Dabolim airport so as to fulfil the plans of vested interests in Mopa. COMMENTS: The Good GFDO must understand that if Manohar Parrikar does not STRANGULATE DABOLIM at this stage, he himself is likely to be STRANGULATED by the REAL ESTATE MAFIOSI who have financed his re-election, even to the point of removing the thorn from MOPA's flesh Matanhy Saldanha, thro' giving him the 21 gun salute send-off and assuring itself the lasting support of his widow thro' sabotaging Democratic by-elections in he Cortalim Constituency and purchasing her silence. Cheers floriano goasuraj 9890470896 www.goasu-raj.org - Original Message - From: Edwin/Diana Pinto eddipi...@gmail.com To: goanet@lists.goanet.org Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2013 9:29 PM Subject: Re: [Goanet] Press Note from GFDO July 18, 2013 PRESS NOTE GFDO expressed shock at the CM’s latest U turn on the state government’s assurance to the AAI at the meeting held on 12th May, 2006 that land for city side airport infrastructure would be made available to them. Based on this assurance, Rs.600 Crores was invested by AAI towards the construction of a New Terminal and Apron, as part of the planned, on-going expansion of Goa airport at Dabolim. The AAI has already paid the government an amount of Rs.4.23 crores towards the land promised for this purpose. In fact, it will be recalled that Mr. Parrikar, during his stint as Leader of Opposition, had vociferously alleged that the denotification of Sy.8/1 Dabolim, was a huge scam perpetrated by the previous government. He should now inform the people of Goa what exactly has changed in dealing with this alleged scam since he took over the reins of government. The CM has displayed his double standards when he refuses to allocate the promised additional land to the AAI for infrastructure for an existing airport that is servicing Goa’s aviation needs, and demands that it make optimum use of land already allocated to them. However, he is quite willing to hand over 80 lakhs sq. metres to private parties to construct a new airport, when the best airports around the world have been set up with only around 40 lakhs sq. metres. The people of Goa should also understand this government’s anti people policies that permit commercial construction on land notified for public purpose and thereafter inexplicably denotified. Productive agricultural land which Goans residing at Mopa depend upon for their livelihood and traditional way of life, however, is acquired for the construction of an unnecessary Private Public Partnership (PPP) airport for the profit of vested interests. It is amusing that the CM calls upon the AAI to hand over the additional “works” on the non existent land to the state when the State government has amply displayed that it cannot even manage Goa’s garbage problem let alone provide basic necessities like adequate water and power to the people in the last 16 months of its rule. According to GFDO, the attack on the AAI by the CM is just a ruse to provide an excuse for him to further strangulate Dabolim airport so as to fulfil the plans of vested interests in Mopa. GFDO earnestly appeals to the CM to display strength of character and fulfil the commitment of the state government, made on behalf of the people of Goa to hand over 36,800 sq. metres of land in Sy.8/1 Dabolim, or the 70,000 sq. metres promised in lieu of that, to ensure that urgently infrastructure is provided for the Goan economy and to maintain the credibility of Goa and Goans. For GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY Fr. Eremito Rebelo Convenor
