Goans For Dabolim Only to hold public meet in Panjim on April 2
Appeals to people to vote wisely March 19, 2014 TEAM HERALD [email protected] MARGAO: Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO) on Tuesday asked Goan voters to shun candidates who do not swear by Dabolim only and support the demand for scrapping Mopa airport. GFDO has decided to hold a massive public meeting at Azad Maidan, Panjim, on April 2 wherein representatives of political parties will be asked to outline their stand on Dabolim and Mopa. Addressing the media, GFDO Convenor Fr Eremito Rebello said the organisation appeals to people to defeat candidates espousing the cause of Mopa. "We urge 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, both North as well as South", Fr Eremito said. Edwin Pinto said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar need 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 Mopa. "The famous hotspots of Goan tourism like Candolim, Calangute, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Mandrem, Arambol etc are all located in North Goa and have benefited and well served by Dabolim airport over the decades. But all this will change once Mopa airport becomes a reality to serve as the international airport for virgin beaches of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, since Chipi is only a domestic airport", Pinto said. Activist Jose Miranda said the Chief Minister has not explained to the people how his government intends to generate 10,000 jobs by building Mopa airport. "Parrikar needs to explain whether the 10,000 jobs he claims will be generated by Mopa airport will be for migrants or 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", he added. Goenchea Xetkarancho Ekvott president Dilip Hegde said the very purpose of passing the resolution on special status for Goa will be defeated if Mopa becomes a reality. "While the Parrikar government goes with a begging bowl to the Prime Minister asking for special status for Goa, it is itself unscrupulously handing over Goa and Goan interests not only to neighbouring states, but also to every non-Goan, who lands here with money jingling in his pocket", he added.
