<Well, well, well it transpires that the Mopa project is being pushed through in the interests of the Politicians - not the interests of the people of Goa. These guys want to fill their boots.**Furthermore, the so called resident expert on Air Travel relatedmatters, needs to do more than some homework, instead of trying tojustify MOPA.** Please read on:-ICAO didn't say 'Yes' to Mopa ANTHONY J SIMOES Upgrading Dabolim would be better, at one-third the price PANJIM, AUG 21 >[Gabe Menezes]
Sure, I did some homework in response to this unsolicited advice. Here's what I found about the author of the story our resident goanet expert is regurgitating without adding much intellectual value to what Arwin Mesquita posted earlier. <Anthony Simoes based in Calangute has been involved in research on various environmental issues in Goa for over a decade. From the impacts of the Konkan Railway alignment, Nylon 66, Golf courses, destruction of sand dunes, to mining impacts and chemical pollution. He has prepared critiques of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) reports, documentation for Public Hearings, status reports for fact finding teams as well as base material for public interest litigation (PIL's).> http://osdir.com/ml/culture.region.india.goa/2002-11/msg00154.html Its funny but the present Simoes' report doesnt say a word about Mopa's environmental impact on which general subject he seems to be an expert. As for Mopa he along with almost everybody else on goanet has been like Rip van Winkle for the last 1 year as the ICAO report (whose field work was reportedly done in 8 days in July 2007 is dated August 2007 i.e. NOT 2008!). I have critiqued the ICAO report in a series of articles in HERALD and goanet from Oct/Nov 2007 all of which sank like stones in the Mandovi. All these folks dont seem to realise that since Jan 2008, Goa government has been pushing for two airports. It is pointless to talk about Dabolim vs Mopa. The need of the hour is to figure out about Dabolim AND Mopa for Goa's sake. What I have been saying is that Mopa cannot be the ICAO designed airport with all the problems we are hearing about on goanet now from latter day "Vasco da Gama's (of Mopa)". It has to be a smaller airport which does not cannibalise Dabolim's traffic and force it to shut down by default if not by intent. The Goa government is the one who should be asked about this, not me. And the faith in upgrading Dabolim is touching. Its been hanging fire for 5 years since it was first proposed in 2003. And the Rs 430 cr upgrade if it does happen will be no guarantee that Dabolim will remain open once a full blown Mopa international airport opens at Mopa for all the reasons Simoes cites. This has happened at Bangalore and it will happen in Goa unless Goans are alert. For starters, Dabolim's IATA code (GOI) will likely be transferred to Mopa with the blessings of the Navy as sure as God made apples. But then Goans can be counted on to miss out on the vital problems and busy themselves with really petty ones. just like the great Nero in Rome of yesteryear. Sleep in heavenly peace.
