http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/8268-mopa-samiti-threatens-agitation-if-airport-project-not-moved-out
PANAJI: Alleging that the state government, right from the conception of the Mopa international airport project, misinformed the residents of the Pernem taluka about the same, the Mopa Vimantall Piditt Xetkari Samiti on Friday demanded that the project be moved out of Mopa, failing which a major taluka-wise agitation would be launched. “The samiti warns the government that it would go to any extent for protecting the land, water resources and agriculture in the Pernem taluka, which are gravely threatened by the greenfield international airport project,” the committee members added. The secretary of MVPXS, Mr Sandip Kambli addressing a press conference in the city, along with other members of the committee said that nowhere around the globe, such a large land is being acquired as done for the Mopa airport project. “The fact is that land mafia, with the support of MLAs and cabinet ministers who have bought much land in this area, is using the Mopa airport project for its own ulterior motives,” he added. Pointing out that not only the livelihood but the very existence of the residents of Varkhand, Casarvarnem, Chandel, Ugvem and Mopa villages has been threatened due to the Mopa airport project, Mr Kambli said that contrary to the data portrayed in the official reports, more than 15,000 people are directly dependent on the agricultural produce generated from the orchards, forests, grazing lands and fields, within and around the plateau selected to set up the airport. “A rough estimate of the number of cashew trees that will be lost due to the airport construction is 40 lakhs, which amounts to a turnover of Rs 100 crore annually, at Rs 250 per tree,” he predicted, noting that there are also a large number of betel nut, jackfruit, mango and coconut trees, which the villagers subsist upon. Speaking further, the MVPXS secretary said that the importance of conserving and protecting the plateau cannot be overstated in the context of water security. “A giant aquifer supplies water through numerous visible and underground springs, which meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of a large section of the population of the taluka,” he maintained, pointing out that since GMR company will act as a contractor for jobs generating out of the airport project, the chances of locals getting employed through it are scarce. The samiti also discussed the social problems generating from the arrival of large workforce – 20,000 to 25,000 workers – to complete the airport project. Dr Rupesh Patkar of All India Trade Union Congress, extending AITUC support to the samiti said that neither any ecological study, nor any survey about the displacement of residents of five villages near the proposed airport, have been conducted by the government. http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Now,%205%20Pernem%20villages%20form%20anti-Mopa%20samiti/33175.html Now, 5 Pernem villages form anti-Mopa samiti HERALD REPORTER Now, 5 Pernem villages form anti-Mopa samiti HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, FEB 5 First, it was PWD Minister Churchill Alemao who opposed Mopa International Airport (MIA) and now some villagers from five villages of Pernem taluka have expressed their strong opposition to the project due “to the potential displacement of thousands of villagers in Pernem taluka and ecological loss MIA will cause if allowed to be built”. The anti-Mopa villagers have formed the Mopa Vimantall Piditt Samiti (MVPS) an association of villagers from Varkhand, Casarvanem, Chandel, Uguem, Amerem, Mopa and Poraskadem. At a press conference here, they warned the government that they are prepared to take every necessary step to protect their land. “We wow to oppose the attempt to convert tens of thousands of Goan farmers from content and self-sufficient citizens to landless refugees,” told Sandeep Kambli, Secretary, MVPS to a press conference on Friday here. He also charged that the demand for this airport has been fueled solely due to speculation in the scarce land and having involvement of politicians, builders and developers. “Many MLAs including Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar has vested interest in supporting the airport,” he charged. Questioning the need for acquisition of land on such a large scale, he said, land sharks are here to rob people of their land. The pre-requisite for any Greenfield International Airport is that it must be a hub for an international traffic. The State is blindly rushing towards a major economic blunder, that will also cause social and environmental destruction in Pernem taluka of an unprecedented scale, the samiti claimed. According to MVPS, more than 100 lakh sq metres of land in five villages is planned to be acquired for the proposed airport and its approach road. Contrary to government’s statements that there is absolutely no adverse environmental, social and economic impact due to the proposed airport, by a rough estimate 40 lakh trees, which amounts to a turnover of Rs 100 crore annually, will be lost, he claimed. More than 15000 people are directly dependent on the agricultural produce generated from the orchards, forests, grazing lands and fields within and around the plateau. He further said there are pucca houses in settlements within the land proposed to be acquired. In this case 15000 people will be forced into poverty directly and thousands of others will be affected indirectly, he claimed further. He further complained that though they met several authorities on the issue, including CM, North Goa MP, but none have bothered to enquire even as to what is the problem, Kambli said indicating political class totally disdain towards needs of the common man. -- Please post your comments on my Blog: http://goanidentity.blogspot.com/ Please also see below: 1. Benaulim Village Action Committee: http://www.bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com/ 2. "Rape of Goa" : http://www.parrikar.com/blog/the-rape-of-goa/ 3. MAND - an adivasi-rights resource centre : http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/ 4. EVERY GOAN SHOULD SEE THIS VIDEO: http://infochangeindia.org/Infochange-documentary.html 5. For the Love of Konkani: http://www.radiogoa.net/ 6. Goa's Identity Movement website: http://www.goamag.net/gim 7. Goa's Identity Movement group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com//#/group.php?gid=193497031686 8. Official Government Site NRI Office (GOA): http://www.globalgoans.org.in/
