MOPA Airport The MOPA Airport is again in the news, CM, Manohar Parrikar instead of detaching the life support of this comatose, has somehow managed to infuse fresh life into this very contentious and outrageous project by accepting its master plan. This was the lion that should have been left in its slumber; it could now consume Goa yet again.
Is the CM, Manohar Parrikar not aware of the people's objections to this enormous highly combustible monster ? Or is he trying to test the resolve of the Goan people ? This awkward step that CM, Parrikar has taken could yet backfire and if he thinks that just because Goans have given him the mandate at the last elections, it would be okay to backstab Goans, he will have to think again. MOPA has always been one of the major contentious issue since it's inception along with, corruption and MOI and just because CM, Parrikar has approved its master plan, it does not mean Goans are going to embrace it with open arms and for a multitude of good reasons should not. MOPA Airport by its very geographical location itself will have overwhelming repercussions on the rest of Goa, Tourism which is the bread and butter as far as Goa's economy is concerned will be punctured to a good degree, as cross border Tourism will be encouraged by coastal Maharashtra at the expanse of Goa, as south and central Goa are bound to bleed dry. The reality is right there for all to see why our politicians are pushing for it, even though majority of Goans are opposing it. The locals are indeed worried and for all the right reasons too, they most certainly do not want to loose their habitat and their only means of survival. Our Politicians have been promising them rehabilitation and an elevated compensation, for how long will they sustain themselves with the compensation in new conditions, alien to them, these people are basically farmers, making a living off the very land that our selfish politicians want to snatch from them for their own benefits. How can masses of people be just uprooted from a place that they had inherited down generations so that our politicians can suffice their lives in luxury ? Why do these poor farmers have to sacrifice their only means of survival for the cockeyed perception of our politicians ? How will our politicians compensate the destruction of our ecology and environment ? Why do Goans need two airports within its limited air space, when we already have one centrally located ? Even the numerous assurances of our Authorities that Dabolim airport will continue to function as an international and domestic airport even when MOPA comes into existence just cannot withhold the reality of time that sustenance of two internationally operational airports within a radius of 120 Kms in the long run is just impossible for a tiny place like Goa, sooner or later Dabolim will have to be offered as a sacrificial lamb and the Indian Navy on the other had will be eagerly waiting to establish it's stranglehold on their prized possession that they had acquired as the spoils of war in 1961. Goa most certainly does not need another Airport, and that too in a place that will be more advantageous and prosperous for the neighbouring state rather than help Goa and Goans. The destruction to the ecology and the environment will be horrendous and irreversible. Mining has already taken a very heavy toll on our ecology and environment and the MOPA airport project would devastate it to no end. Goans do not need super expressways nor can we afford the luxury of two airports, we pray to the government to provide us with our very basic amenities that we are in dire need of, super expressways and luxury airports can wait, lets keep our feet firmly planted on the ground and abreast reality rather than dream of the moon or paradise. Goans in unity say no to MOPA. Freddy Agnelo Fernandes ##################################################################################### The content of this electronic communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and any others who are specifically authorized to receive it. It may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or otherwise placing reliance on the contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful in certain legal jurisdictions. If you have received this communication in error please notify the sender immediately by responding to this email and then delete it from your system. #####################################################################################
