OPEN LETTER TO CHIEF MINISTER PARRIKAR To
The Chief Minister, Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa Dear Mr. Parrikar, It was a happy moment for the people of Goa two and a half years ago when they came together to celebrate the installation of your majority government in the seat of power. At that time, we the people, had earnestly hoped that as a newly constituted government, unhindered by the constraints of coalition politics, you as the Chief Minister would usher in new and refreshing winds of change not only in terms of instituting transparency and effective governance, but also in redefining the very concept of healthy and sustainable ‘development’ with a human face. Now that your government has completed half its term, a reality check on the quality of governance you have delivered, gives rise to concern and apprehension amongst the people. For instance, on the Special Status issue, it is alarming that you have expressed the necessity “that we determine what we want under the special status” only after your petition has already been submitted and rejected by the NDA government at the Centre. Are the people of Goa to presume that its government’s negligence in ensuring due diligence and application of mind whilst drafting the request filed by it with the Central government has cost us the long awaited Special Status? And again, given the manner in which huge tracts of land are being parcelled out to various real estate lobbies and other vested interests, the burning question is whether there will be any land and identity left to safeguard by the time the new process for Special Status now being initiated by you is complete. How then are we expected to take your word against the expert reports that tiny Goa’s air traffic is capable of sustaining the two airports of Dabolim and Mopa when Chipi airport in an advanced state of construction, is located just 53 kms. from the Mopa site? Has your government applied its mind to the consequences of setting up a huge airport like the proposed Mopa Airport in an ecologically fragile zone like Mopa, abutting the Western Ghats? After all the tragedy near Pune has been laid at the doorstep of an unthinking government, whose irresponsible development precipitated the tragedy resulting in the death of around 150 people. It is also distressing that the people’s trust, hopes and aspirations have been repaid with pedestrian, unimaginative and uninspired governance, which is probably one of the reasons behind your insistence on the necessity of building an unnecessary airport at Mopa, when we have the existing Dabolim airport, ideally located in the vicinity of the sea port and the railway line. Yet, even under your watch, it still remains the only airport in the country without a regular coach service connecting it to the various major towns. In fact, connectivity of Dabolim Airport could be greatly enhanced through imaginative and intelligent planning involving the railway line just opposite the airport. Revenue generation of the airport too, could be hugely boosted by connecting it with Mormugao Port, and coordinating cargo transportation. This port enjoys the facility of being operational 365 days a year. Mr. Chief Minister, time and again you have justifiably and strongly expressed your utter dissatisfaction with the functioning of the airport under the AAI. Dabolim Airport is a very valuable asset to the state of Goa. It would therefore be expected that the state government makes concrete moves to have a long term development plan for Dabolim and actively engages the Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI for synergistic improvements both inside and with respect to the surrounding infrastructure around the airport. It is shocking to note that absolutely no infrastructural developments have taken place around Dabolim airport although it is an existing vital installation and an international airport since 2000 and the area around the airport is barren and lacks purposeful and coordinated development that will serve a useful purpose Your stand as Leader of the Opposition regarding the denotifying of Sy.8/1, Dabolim, which was reserved for parking and city side facilities, was fully supported by the people of Goa. Now that you are the person occupying the highest position in the state, why are you afraid to act decisively in reacquiring that land, particularly in view of the fact that a strong public purpose exists and no other suitable land around the airport is available for acquisition. It is perplexing why your government fights shy of acquiring 40,000 sq. metres of barren land for an existing airport, when it has not the slightest hesitation in taking over around 84 lakh sq. metres of fertile land for the proposed Mopa Airport. Every elected government is expected to safeguard and protect the collective assets as also the interests and identity of the community it professes to serve. Yet, to provide the much needed connectivity to your proposed Mopa airport, you have declared your intention to widen both the National Highways from North to South Goa by December, which is a pre-condition for the proposed Mopa Airport project. How many more Goan families will be displaced and traumatised by this project? Why does your government not examine the idea and concept of sustainable human development instead of ploughing through with the rampant and mindless concretisation of Goa that is being passed off as development? We want to believe that your government is transparent and sincere. However, the two and a half years of your tenure that we have experienced, has certainly not inspired the people of Goa with trust or faith. When your government has shown its inability to provide basic necessities for quality of life like like efficient garbage management and uninterrupted water and power supply, how can it even consider setting up ambitious, unrealistic projects like Mopa Airport, which will bring in a massive floating population that the state of Goa cannot support. How will two airports benefit the people of a state struggling with lack of basic necessities like uninterrupted power and water supply, efficient garbage management and effective policing and law and order? We are sure that you will appreciate that such a massive project will have serious and irreversible implications for the lives of the people of the state. It is therefore the people’s right and the government’s duty to help them understand the need for a second airport, when the existing Dabolim Airport is sufficient forever, particularly after the commissioning of the additional terminal building and in view of the vacant and under utilised lands available for apron and other expansions in the future. Instead, your government has chosen to turn upon its own people and disrupt their lives by acquiring their lands and destroying their chosen way of life on a whim and a caprice even before conducting the mandatory Environment Impact Assessment that would reveal whether this project was permissible under the environment protection laws. Under these circumstances, we once again formally invite you to engage with GFDO for a public debate on the dual airport issue, where the doubts and the longstanding questions of the people can be addressed and cleared once and for all. Looking forward to your positive response, For GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY Fr. Eremito Rebelo Convenor
