AERIAL VIEW
So the question of the livelihood of people dependent on Dabolim hangs in the balance.
There are hundreds of taxi drivers dependent on this airport besides hundreds of contract workers at AAI, chai tapri wallahs, restaurants, hotels, near the airport (tea stalls) and so on.
Has the government given a thought to this? Of course not.
Dr Pramod Sawant’s government blindly believes his bosses in Delhi that Dabolim will continue. They fail to understand Modi-Shah mean business, and they have sold several non-profit-making PSUs, so why won’t they shut down Dabolim?
Modi-Shah isn’t interested in the welfare of Goan taxis and other workers. For them, Goa is too small a state to worry about, so Dr Pramod Sawant and Minister Mauvin Godinho must present a case for Goans at the Centre.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
Well, it seems almost certain that after the new Greenfield airport at Mopa takes off in Mopa, the days of Dabolim will be numbered.
Admittedly, the Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) have time and again clarified time and again that Dabolim will continue operations for civilian flights even after Mopa takes off.
Of Course, they have a letter from the Ministry of Civil Aviation ti back their claim, dated July 1, 2010, which states Dabolim will continue to even after Mopa begins ops.
But CM sir, how can we ignore the letter dated May 1, 2000, which clearly says Union Cabinet gave approval to Mopa on condition that only one airport – Mopa only will operate?
Also, the fact remains that decision was taken by the BJP government at the Centre. Even though the Congress government decided Dabolim would continue, there are several doubts.
The BJP is known to reverse several decisions the Congress government took before 2014. We hope the Modi government at the centre does not take such a decision about Dabolim.
The shocking part is the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), a Govt of India undertaking, has said in its order, “it is difficult for Mopa to sustain until Dabolim continues to operate”.
After this, Dabolim MLA and minister in Dr Pramod Sawant’s government also hinted Dabolim might be shut down if it fails to compete with Mopa.
So the writing is evident on the wall “if not today, Dabolim will be shut down maybe after one year, 2 yrs or maybe three years.”
We understand Dr Sawant has said he is sympathetic to the people depending on Dabolim and will see that the airport continues to operate. Maybe it can become a domestic airport, he said.
But, sir, today, the world is different. If Dabolim becomes domestic only, then what about transit passengers? Will passengers of connecting international flights get down at Dabolim and travel all the way to Mopa to catch international flights? Not possible.
So the question of the livelihood of people dependent on Dabolim hangs in the balance.
There are hundreds of taxi drivers dependent on this airport besides hundreds of contract workers at AAI, chai tapri wallahs, restaurants, hotels, near the airport (tea stalls) and so on.
Has the government given a thought to this? Of course not.
Dr Pramod Sawant’s government blindly believes his bosses in Delhi that Dabolim will continue. They fail to understand Modi-Shah mean business, and they have sold several non-profit-making PSUs, so why won’t they shut down Dabolim?
Modi-Shah isn’t interested in the welfare of Goan taxis and other workers. For them, Goa is too small a state to worry about, so Dr Pramod Sawant and Minister Mauvin Godinho must present a case for Goans at the Centre.
Mauvin must remember the taxi association supported him before the elections after he promised to save their interest.
We are not debating whether Mopa is needed or not but about the future of Dabolim, and the people of Goa want Dabolim to stay.
Afterall, Government is to look after the welfare of its citizens and NOT TO MAKE PROFITS FOR PRIVATE COMPANIES.