-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Wishing all Goanetters | | a Prosperous | | and | | Happy New Year - 2006 | | Goanet - http://www.goanet.org | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's HERALD has a double shot on "The Mopa Saga". One of these is titled "BJP threatens stir if project is scuttled". In it, it reports:
"Parrikar also stated that the Navy will not vacate Dabolim airport and if anybody attempted to shift the Navy the Central Government would step in. "The Naval bases at Vasco and Karwar are important for the country's security and the people who demand that the Navy should give up Dabolim airport knw this well," stated Parrikar". I frankly do not understand how Vasco is inherently imporant for national security apart from being a good natural harbour with an airfield close by. It cannot be impervious to the socio-economic importance of the airport for Goa especially in the era of low cost aviation. The Navy has artificially boosted its need for Dabolim by stationing its aircraft carrier at Vasco and conducting training flights interminably between this vessel and Dabolim airport. What if the ship was stationed at Kochi naval base with its own airfield (whose civil enclave was shut down when a greenfield airport was compelled to be built in the mid-90s)? Why is an airfield not being built at Karwar which is touted as one Asia's biggest naval bases? Very shrewdly the Navy has firmed up plans to replace the present aircraft carrier with another (old) one with operationally immature planes to keep the game "goaing". Parrikar needs to carry his people with him instead of expecting them to take his word as gospel and do as he tells them, just like sheep. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
