GFDO PRESS NOTE
For the past few years, Goans for Dabolim Only has been consistently pointing
out that the Mopa Airport project is economically unviable, and is in fact a
real estate scam. GFDO’s claim has now been substantiated with the recent
reports which state that 8 brand new airports which were proposed in 2009
alongside Mopa and constructed in some of the country’s tourist hubs, have not
seen any aviation activity because of less than projected demand. Indeed 50% of
India’s airports remained unused throughout the year. Prime Minister Modi
himself, in tacit acknowledgment of the fact that the PPP model for airports in
India has proved to be unviable and economically unfeasible, has reversed the
government decision to privatise Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Ahmedabad
Airports. Even neighbouring Sri Lanka has paid a heavy price for constructing a
second airport. Just like Mopa Green Field, The Mattala Rajapaksa International
Airport was constructed with the promise that it would increase tourism and
create jobs, even though Sri Lanka already had a perfect airport in Colombo.
This was done on heavy borrowings of hundreds of millions of dollars, Today,
Sri Lankan officials have announced plans to use this airport, built merely to
feed the vanity of toppled Sri Lankan ‘strongman’ Rajapakse, as a rice storage
warehouse in an attempt to reduce losses after it has failed to take off.
Goans understand that the Mopa Airport project is Mr. Parsekar’s dream. After
all, on April 18th, 2006, Mandrem BJP MLA Laxmikant Parsekar, as a leader of
the pro Mopa Airport lobby, enforced a bandh by blocking the Siolim-Chopdem
bridge, without even making any effort to understand the dynamics, feasibility,
environmental impact and sustainability of the project. But is it right that
Goa should suffer the same fate as Sri Lanka just to pander to the vanity and
hard headedness of the Mandrem MLA who is now Goa’s Chief Minister?
It is unfortunate that all projects, whether it is marinas, Golf course or the
Aeroshow venue are being steamrollered through without any thought to the
adverse environmental and social impact they will have on Goa. In the case of
the Mopa Airport project, every Goan knows that it is being pushed forward by
the government primarily because politicians and crony capitalists have boughts
huge tracts of land, which they hope to sell for a windfall once the airport is
complete But the money and the land, including the 15 lakh square metres that
the Government is so recklessly offering to the Airport developer for real
estate purposes at a mindboggling 4 FAR, are resources belonging to the
community of Goans and certainly cannot be squandered to pander to the vested
interests of a privileged few.
The BJP government’s faulty and short sighted policies have led Goa to the
brink of bankruptcy. This government is operating by taking more loans only to
pay off old loans and its fiscal profligacy has succeeded in bringing about a
debt of Rs.93,000 on the head of each Goan. In such circumstances, how can it
even think of building unnecessary and unviable infrastructure on the false
promises of jobs and business growth!
CM Parsekar appears to be trying to replicate PM Modi’s much hyped and now
exposed Gujarat model of development, which promotes jobless growth, for the
benefit of a few selected crony capitalists, thanks to which Gujarat is now
aflame in protest.
CM Parsekar should learn from the mistakes of others and understand that Goans
will not allow Goa to go the Gujarat way.
Fr. Eremito Rebelo
Convenor
