The first time I saw physically the Dabolim Airport was in 1959 when as a student of Portuguese School, Escola Primaria de Abade Faria - Candolim, we were taken on excursion to see this Airport. I was very young boy at that time and during that time I saw how Portuguese Pakle soldiers guarding the Airport were nice and courteous to us. It was not congested, one Plane was seen ready to take off while another at a distance was lying idle and it was not operational, partially broken. As a small naughty boy, without any body’s notice, I jumped into it and shouted my Eureka for getting an opportunity to sit into the Plane for the first time in my life though it was partly broken one. Approximately 5 years prior to this date of our excursion, this Dabolim Airpot was commissioned and made operational and officially put into the control of civilian authority and NOT NAVY.
After Goa was forcibly annexed to Bharat in December 1961 against the wishes of greater number of Goans, Indian Navy without proper official formalities and discipline, in haste took control of Dabollim Airport because during that time there was chaos everywhere in Goa and Goa was treated like an enslaved territory by its Bharati masters having no voice and no proper authority to talk for Goa and Goans. Everything was dictated from Delhi and by one Mr. Handoo who was the then advisor to the Bharat occupied authority of Goa. Delhi Babus treated Goa as a colony by thinking and deciding for Goa and Goans as per the benefit of them and not for the benefit of Goa and Goans. During that time Goa was treated by Delhi Babus worst than Lisbon Salazarists headed by Dictator Salazar; in fact Portugal protected interest of Goans much better than Delhi Babus headed by traitor Nehru who cheated Goa and Goans.
The Dabolim Airport under the control of Indian Navy is become a pleasure center for the Indian Navy men. It has got vast area to create facilities for huge aircrafts to land round the clock. The area is so vast that even there is one soccer ground and Golf Course for Navy men for their recreation. If Dabolim Aiport is to be upgraded for the top and most advanced Aircrafts, the current Dabolim Airport Authority can easily utilise only 25% of the available land under the control of Dabolim Airport. According to experts if only 25% of the available land is used to upgrade the current facilities at Dabolim, there is no need of one extra Airport at Mopa.
What prevents the Indian authorities to upgrade Dabolim Airport to international standard and scrap Mopa? The answer is very simple; Indian Navy wants to keep Dabolim Airport entirely for its own use only. Everybody is giving an assurance that when Mopa is operational, Dabolim will not be closed for civilian Aircrafts. It is a pure lie. Recently even Indian Defence Minister Mr. Anthony gave the same assurance. If Anthony’s government in Delhi collapses tomorrow then the new government will never support the decision of Antony. In fact the new government will decide the new policy which may be worst. The way governments are changing, the policies are also changing in India.
Parrikar is assuring Goans that Dabolim will also remain operational for civilian Aircrafts once Mopa starts. Who is Parrikar to give false assurances to Goans? Who is Parrikar to give such an assurance as if Dabolim Airport is his “Bapaichem Bens”. Parrikar is not an authority to talk on Dabolim. Parrikar does not know whether his government will survive tomorrow. If his government falls he will be nowhere to protect his assurance. Parrikar is fooling Goans as if he is the owner of Indian Navy. Indian Navy does not care for Parrikar and for that matter for nobody in Goa. In the name of national security Indian Navy can usurp any land from Goa. Parrikar is supporting Mopa because of the Land Scam there. According to one source, all the influential persons and politicians including Parrikar from Goa purchased the land pieces at and around Mopa very cheaply. Once the Mopa Airport becomes a reality then the value of the same plots will be like that of Diamond. Parrikar is a crook and a liar. In the coming general election, Goan opposing Mopa Airport must campaign very hard against Parrikar’s BJP and defeat both the BJP candidates.
Goan MP “Tallo” Francisco Sardina was assuring Goans not to worry for Dabolim Airport saying it will also remain functional side by side Mopa. Sardinha is a big liar and selfish. Who is he to give assurance that Dabolim will remain as it is for civilians Aircrafts? Dabolim Airport is not the “Paicho Fath” of Sardinha. It is on record that both the former Chief Ministers of Goa, Sardinha and Luizinho Faleiro have written two letters separately to the Central government to make hurry to build Mopa Airport as soon as possible. See these both the so called Goa lover Goans how they are betraying Goan interest. They are both traitors like Judas. Such traitors should be stoned to death without giving them a chance to commit suicide like Judas. Now the responsibility falls on the shoulders of Saxttikars to ask Tallo Sardinha and Faleiro the explanation of these letters and under whose instruction they wrote these letters.
Indian government wants Goa as a brand name to sell its services to the outsiders in the name of Goa. The Mopa Airport with a prefix or suffix Goa will attract more passengers mainly the tourists. Mopa is at the border of Maharastra and most of the benefits of this Airport will go to the Maharastrians. From Mopa Airport it will be closer to go to the Maharastra where more hotels will come up giving more jobs to Maharastrians. In Maharastra bordering Mopa, because of Mopa Airport business and tourism will boom and its facilities will be captured by the Maharastrians. Tourism will collapse in Goa giving rise to unemployment. Mopa Airport will better serve Maharastra and not Goa.
And finally to you Alinabai, if you are real wife of your late husband Mathanay Saldanha believing in gis principles, you will oppose Mopa very strongly. If necessary, even by surrendering your porfolio.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait,