Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Raising serious national security and environmental concerns, South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes on Monday stated that the proposed Film City project in the Loliem-Polem panchayat area of Canacona taluka will be firmly opposed if it poses any threat to the country’s security interests.
Addressing the media, Fernandes pointed out that the proposed site — the eco-sensitive Bhagwati Plateau — is located near the Karwar Naval Base (Seabird), a high-security military installation. “The country comes first. If the Film City compromises national security, it must not be allowed,” he asserted.
He expressed apprehensions that the Film City could become a potential risk point. “Once the Film City is operational, it will be difficult to monitor who enters and exits the premises. This makes it easier for anti-national elements or spies to pose a threat to the Naval Base at Karwar,” Fernandes cautioned.
In addition to the security risks, the MP raised environmental concerns, stating that the Bhagwati Plateau serves as a crucial rainwater retention zone. “Constructing a concrete jungle on the plateau will impact local water resources and worsen the water crisis already affecting many areas of Canacona and Goa,” he said.
Fernandes made these remarks during a meeting at the Palolem Club House, which was attended by Congress state vice president Savio De Silva, Janardan Bhandari, Mahadev Desai, Goa Forward Party’s Vikas Bhagat, Ursila Pereira, Vithoba Desai, Ajay Pagi, and Sucor Da Silva.
Emphasizing his broader role, Fernandes said, “I am not just the MP of the Congress Party, but of every Goenkar, even those who did not vote for us. Solving their problems is my duty and my dharma.”
He also commented on issues affecting tourism and law enforcement in the state, noting that North Goa has become infamous for drug-related problems. “While tourism remains vital to Goa’s economy, we must ensure that South Goa is not neglected.”
Referring to past interventions, Fernandes claimed credit for halting the alleged attempt to shut down Dabolim airport to benefit a powerful industrialist who had acquired land nearby. “We moved the court and stopped the plan,” he said.
During the meeting, Congress leader Janardan Bhandari suggested that the MP convene a public forum to directly address local issues. Several tourism stakeholders also raised concerns about doing business in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas and urged for resolution of their long-standing problems.
Fernandes later visited Agonda, interacted with locals in Poinguinim, Loliem-Polem, Khotigao, Gaondongrim, and Shristhal, garlanded the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Chaudi, and visited both the Church of St. Teresa of Jesus and Shri Mallikarjun Temple in Shristhal.
