Goans oppose green field airport land acquisition
Tribals from Mopa village on Sunday claimed that the large tracts of their cultivable land are being snatched by State government in the guise of constructing green field airport.
?The proposed land acquisition for the airport is alarming, nearly 1500 crores worth of land has changed hands with 266 sale deeds registered. We, the original residents are driven out from our own land. We are sure that building an airport is not the intention at all but it is being done in the name of airport,? Mopa Vimantall Piditt Xetkari Samiti secretary Sandeep Kambli told reporters.
He said that 15,000-odd families, who depend on agricultural produce for their living, would be affected with the proposed airport project. Similarly, the project would destroy the natural habitat and deplete ground water stored in the hills.
?Pernem taluka depends on water from springs and ground water, which will be destroyed if the government goes ahead with the project. The government is turning a blind eye towards our needs,? he rued.
The government recently announced that affected Mopa villagers would be compensated, but, the residents demand that their agricultural land should not be grabbed for unwanted reasons.
?Our land is being grabbed and in return we are paid meager amount. Land prices are shooting up every day. We cannot afford to buy a small piece of land in the present scenario. The government will leave us homeless,? Kambli said.
Social activist Fr Bismark Fernandes claimed that government has flouted environmental norms to construct the green field airport.
?International guidelines for Airports suggest that distance between two airports should not be less than 150 kms, but Dabolim is approximately 40 kms from Mopa and we wonder how they (government) got this permission. Moreover, a Mopa consultant is appointed without Environmental Assessment Impact being done,? he stated.
The villagers have warned the government to launch a massive agitation if it goes ahead with the proposed project.