From: Goa Desc <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] VIEWPOINT on Mopa Airport - 1
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 21:46:15 +0530
Goa Desc:
We are witnessing a fresh attack on the wisdom of having another airport in
the state. This is one of the countless explosions of fire that the
proposal of Mopa airport has been greeted with since it was conceived
in the late 1990s. As in the previous fulminations, so in the current
thunder,
reason seems to have taken a back seat and emotion looks like having taken
over.
Nasci says:
Where is the 'Wisdom' in the proposal of having a second airport in a small
area like Goa, which is in itself underdeveloped in the first place? You and
the other protagonists of Mopa, have not given any reasons for Mopa vis a
vis the already existing airport at Dabolim; it is being considered only in
exclusion as if Goa does not have an airport as a great asset, right in the
'centre' of Goa.
Goa Desc says:
Mr Churchill Alemao, MP, the dominant characteristic of whose politics
through years has been that devil-may-care chivalry, is up and roaring
again against the Apocalypse that Mopa is bound surely to bring to the
little and big businesses in the south, rendering thousands unemployed.
Nasci says:
It's true, that what Alemao and myself have been saying on this forum! The
businesses and the hotel Industry will go bankrupt in Salcete, Moumugao and
Quepem and Canacona, too. And what about the residents wanting to hitch a
ride to the airport, who in the case of Canacona will have to go tru more
than 100 kms of harrowing and wild life like rides thri Goa's tortuos roads?
Humm??
Even If Goa Desc can manage to give/ arrange free rides from
canacona/salcete to Pernem; to lighten the financial burden and the
inconvenience of it all; waht about the 'time factor' involved in such long
distances on narrow below standard roads? will Goa Desc then simply turn
back the clock! and/or say: "are rau re! rau re! thea sasticar azun paunc
nam!" in typical Goan Bus style?
I hope you guys who ever you are; will take time to really think for
yourselves and have the interest of all the residents of 'All of Goa', when
talking up this white elephant project at mopa. Mapusa, and Pernem do not
alone constitiute Goa! Open your eyes and see, if you are not already blind>
Goa is all of Goa territory; from North to South and East to West. And
Dabolim is in the Center of Goa, and more so, it is already here for so many
years! Not a bird in the bush, but active and very helpful and fulfilling
the needs of all of Goa residents and tourists! Hah Hah!
Goa Desc:
Let us not go into motivations, political or otherwise, of the fresh
protest,
but it is clear that it has been timed with the announcement of the
decision by the Mopa airport committee to go ahead with the project
and the acquiring by the government of 1 crore sq metres of land for it
in the state's northernmost taluka of Pernem.
Nasci says;
Why should 'Goa' not protest at this sheer absurdity of a second airport and
that too in one extreme end of the underdeveloped state? It's not only
Alemao! It's everyone almost with reasons! Just that Churchill Alemao is a
leader and has been so elected because he is a born leader and has proved
himself, in the past. That is why Goa Desc too, and the whole of Goa should
rally behind him!
Goa Desc;
Anybody to disagree with Mr Alemao that the state government or the
Centre should not take up any project that would take away income
and jobs from people in South Goa would but be a cynic. But will the
Mopa airport indeed take away jobs from the south to the north?
This question can best be answered by another question: did the
Dabolim airport take away jobs from the north to the south?
Earnings from tourism have come mainly to four cities and their vicinity
in the state: Panaji, Mapusa, Margao and Vasco; and two of them are
in the north and two in the south. Do passengers getting off at the
Dabolim airport do not check in hotels of the north? Do they not travel
to the beaches of the north? Last year's rise in ARR (Average Room Rate)
in hotels was not confined only to South Goa; the hotels in North Goa
profited from it too.
Nasci says;
In the above para, you have just proved my point; Because Dabolim is almost
in the CENTER OF GOA geographically, and the infrastructure is already there
for people to travel to any part of Goa, they wish to! Al that is needed is
upgradation of the existing infrastructure and the airport of Dabolim,
itself. The moving of the Naval airbase to Sea Bird. is and a neccessary
cororally, to secure the future requirements.
Goa Desc:
When the world is becoming flat, to suggest that Goa can be divided
into enclaves is short of saying we do not want development at all.
We need to shed our parochial view and grab the opportunities for
growth that the present times are offering us.
Nasci says:
It is Goa Desc which is subconsciously dividing Goa; Why not move this
institution of 'Goa Desc' to the Panjim or Bambolim area, or do you want to
change the name to 'North Goa Desc' ?
Goa Desc:
Even in tourism, we are trying, and we will have to try harder, to diversify
our products to
eco-tourism, pilgrim tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism,
conference tourism and so on. Will Dabolim be able to take in all this
growth in tourism>
As it is, the traffic rush at the Dambolim airport has increased manifold
over the years, notwithstanding the frequent sallies that the naval
authorities stand in the way of night flights. The naval authorities have
in fact expanded the civilian use of the Dabolim airport; else, the
traffic would not have increased. The naval authorities have said
that they could encourage night landings. Yet despite all the expansion
that is possible at Dabolim, we cannot hope to make things
comfortable for either the travellers or ourselves. At least not
with the state fast emerging as one of the favoured international
destinations. From 419 chartered flights at Dabolim in the year 2000-01,
we reached 690 flights in 2004-05 . The officials of the state's
tourism department are confident that it would go to 700-750.
As against 1.16 lakh chartered tourists in 2000-01 the number has
gone up to 1.58 lakh last season. With the South African tourists
also showing keenness, as told to this newspaper by the CEO
of South African Tourism, Mr Moeketsi Mosola on Monday, the
number of chartered flights would go up considerably. It is worth
recalling aftermath tsunami, Goa had attracted tourists who kept
away from other destinations. Growing traffic can only cause clogging.
There is already clogging at Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore airports.
The waiting time for flights is increasing; the flights are delayed
causing hardship to
the passengers. The same fate awaits Dambolim. With more and more
participation of the private sector in aviation, the rush is going
to be unmanageable.
Nasci says:
Don't you know how big Mumbai is: they get much more flights and passengers
and cargo etc then Goa. And Mumbai is a mega metropolis! and yet has only
one runway and one airport. so whats the this scare campaign you are
running.
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne
Down under.
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