Goemkar team to meet aviation secretary

The recently formed forum, Goemkar, will approach the Civil Aviation Secretary and the Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) during their Goa visit this week to express its stand and doubts of the people over continuance of Dabolim airport and finalisation of new Mopa airport in north Goa.

Convenor of Goemkar, Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai on Monday took exception to the government’s decision of going ahead with acquisition of 22 lakh sq. m of agricultural land at Mopa the very next day of the meeting held by the forum opposing the hurry over the airport project.

A meeting of the Mopa Airport Steering Committee will be held on Thursday in which the Civil Aviation Secretary and the Chairman of AAI are supposed to participate.

Taking these developments as an indication that the Mopa project is sought to be fast tracked even when many questions on its feasibility remain unanswered, Mr. Sardesai said the forum would take up the matter with the two officials. He criticised Congress MP Francisco Sardinha for backing the Mopa airport project.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/goemkar-team-to-meet-aviation-secretary/article4331159.ece