At a largely attended meeting held in the Curtorim
Market which started at 6.12 p.m i.e late by over
an hour apparently to await the locals returning from
work Adv Mike Mehta, Dr Wilfred De Souza, Adv Radharao
Gracias, Mr Churchill Alemao, Mr Alberto Leitao from
Varca Dr Earnest Mr Menino of Nuvem and several others
appealed to those gathered in one refrain MOPA NEVER
DABOLIM FOREVER.
It was made clear to the gathering that the airport of
Dabolim was conceptualised by the Portuguese on lines
with a similar airport at Mozambique and intended
exclusively for civil purposes . The documentary
evidence is available in Portario No:14898 of 1954.
The airport construction commenced in 1954 and
completed in 1955.
It was also mentioned by Dr Wilfred Mesquita ex MLA
Vasco da Gama that there can be no terminal within 80
kms and aerial distance of Dabolim and Mopa being just
30 kms would not therefore be feasible to continue
with Dabolim if Mopa was permitted.
It was also made clear that the FINAL REPORT on
feasibility of Mopa airport now available with the
Government of Goa makes a mention that neighbouring
areas of Sindhdurga Ratnagiri Sangli Kudal will
benefit hence it is obvious that the Dabolim airport
will have to cease operations. Hence it will be
beneficial for the Konkan areas and not Goa.
Incidentally the airport too cannot be built in
Sindhudurga Maharastra because with Dabolim airport in
place the next airport can come up only in far off
Ratnagiri but there no one wants it because the
distance to Sindhudurga is far off by road. Hence the
game plan of the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra is to
back the Mopa airport. Incidentally land prices will
appreciate around Mopa and Sindhdurga from the
existing Rs.50/ and that would reap rich earnings for
land tycoons like Jeetendra Deshprabhu the Viscount of
Pernem besides its present MLA and other elected
representatives from Maharastra.
Mr Radharao Gracias explained that the interests of
Goa can be protected only by a regional party. He
said that the INC and BJP national parties were having
both common interests. To cite a point he stated that
the INC MLA of Santa Cruz Ms Victoria Fernandes was
supporting a panel in tow with BJP ex CM Manohar
Parrikar and ex MLA Taleigao Mr Somanth Zuarkar
against the INC MLA of Taleigao Antanasio Babush
Monserrate for the Corporation of City of Panjim 30
seats due on 12th March, 2006. With this "unity of
interests" the Goa centric issues are left without a
strong opposition.
Mr Gracias therefore appealed to the Goans and
Curtorkars to safeguard the Goan interests by electing
at least 6 to 10 MLAs from any regional party UGDP or
by any other name so that this group could act as a
deciding factor in the INC or BJP government formation
Apparently to dispel past instance when the elected
members of UGDP changed sides and went alongwith the
BJP to form the Government Mr Gracias stated that Mr
Monserate demanded Taleigao to be reverted as a
Village Panchayat from the then Panaji Municipality
and he achieved the same within a month. He also
threw the BJP Parrikar government when Mr Parrikar
worked against Goan interests -- CD and Mopa.
Mr Radharao Gracias also enlightened the gathering
that after the amendment to the "Anti Defection Law "
it is now necessary that the elected representative
switching sides will now have to RESIGN AND SEEK
RE-ELECTION and not defect directly. He cited the
case of Poinguinin Mr Isidore Fernandes, later Mr
Pandurang Madkaikar, Marcaim Mr Francisco (Miky)
Pacheco Mr Digamber Kamat etc all of whom had to
resign and seek re-election. Therefore the MLAs
getting elected on a regional party would be able to
safeguard goan interests.
Before the meet photocopies of part of the text of the
recorded debate made by Mr Alemao in the Goa
Legislative Assembly in 2000 was circulated alongwith
the Konkani in Devanagari script and a transliteration
in Roman script as reproduced below to refute the
charge made by both Mr Ramakant Khalap ex MLA and Mr
Jeetendra Deshprabhu the present MLA of Pernem to
state that Mr Alemao too supported the MOPA airport.
However on reading the proceedings it is quite clear
that Mr Alemao was quoted out of context.
Mr Alemao however took the remarks of both Khalap and
Deshprabhu with a pinch of salt and stated that both
would in any case not be elected again and the next
hustings.
Incidentally both Mr Khalap and Deshprabhu favour Mopa
All speakers appealed to elected representatives
including Mr Sardinha MLA Curtorim to join the Save
Dabolim movement irrespective of party affiliation as
the interests of Goa and Goans was utmost.
A copy of the letter of Mr Sardinha while he was CM
was also distributed as promised at the Navelim meet.
With these two meets Mr Alemao has now clarified with
documentary evidence and meetings on home turf of the
two Faleiro and Sardinha exposed their intents for
MOPA as against Dabolim.
*******************************************************
Shri Churchill Alemao : Speaker Sir jem Honourable MLA
Bab Deshbraphu jem aizbhashan kelem tatun maka dislem
ki Mopa Airport jalo mhunn rokdoch. Ani Bab Azgaonkar
tacher sarko fullo. Ho fokot "in principle" thain
mutlem asa thain karcho mahanun.
Speaker Sir zo amcho Dabolim Airport asa to khenna
cho?amim payeant tenna javank nat. Ani amchi adli opar
asa "aslolem sodchem ani dusrem hadche> Pun asa to
ami sambhadpak zai. Ani zo airport asa Vasco to dhoni
saidhink sarkho padtha northachea ani southachea
lokhank. Atam Mopa zari ho airport zalo ami zar thain
vatle zalear amkam tin varam tari zai podtalim. Hem
ashem zavpak zainam. Punn Goiant zar dhon Aiirport
zatat zalear zavnim . Punn aslelo airport amim bhand
kharpak zainam. Aslelo zar airport bhand khartat
zalear amim sabandh soutachea tashech northachea lokak
ube khartale. Amcho aslelo airport aspak zai. Jenna
Devegowda P.M ashillo tenhan ami taim gatlem ki ji
thaim Navy asa zata zalear Defence Ministerak sangun
shift kharun Sea Birdan ghalcho mhunn. Kiteak amchem,
Karwar lagim asa ani ho sarkho taim nettan khorpak
zata. Mhanun hanv taka lagun magtam Deshprabhu
private khonni evun te zar dhon khartat zalear bharem
asa. Ani dhon karna, ek khortat zalear hanv hea
kamacher sarko virodh asa. Don zatat zalear problem
kaim na bharem asa .
*******************************************************
Unfortunately this text was not authenticated but
reproduced on a plain sheet and therefore many in the
crowd who spoke to this writer felt that an
authenticated document would have been more valid.
Yet another letter dated 13.09.2004 along with
authenticated documentary evidence since 1955
addressed to the Defence Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee
highlights the need for shifting the Navy to Sea Bird
on the grounds
a) decree on 1955 civil airport (Portuguese document)
b) after Operation Vijay -- Dabolim taken only for
maintenance
c) a document which enlists all airports in India as
Civil Defence and Private -- but Goa Dabolim airport
does not figure therein niether its owner ship
d) official gazette former colonial government proves
Dabolim was a civilian airport
e) Navy occupation of a sizeable airport
d) reasons why civilian airport status of Dabolim to
be restored and Naval training enclave should move to
Sea bird karwar > Anjediv taken without compensation
There is no doubt that in the absence of any emotive
issue at the next elections due before year end or in
May 2006 the MOPA issue may turn the apple cart of the
INC and BJP and atleast Mr Churchill Alemao MP stated
that he would win for the INC 12 seats in the North
and 30 seats all over Goa if Dabolim was retained as
an international airport and MOPA issue closed
forever.
Else he admitted that he would not mind being out of
the INC and quit politics if MOPA becomes a reality.
from the CURTORIM bazaar end
GODFREY J I GONSALVES
BORDA MARGAO GOA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
9822158584
__________________________________________________________
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