PANJIM: Mopa villagers alleged that the Goa government is enacting a farce of acquisition of land for the Mopa airport, though it cannot be pursued on grounds of economic viability and international aviation norms, stating that they will not accept any compensation for it.
Speaking to reporters in the city on Thursday, Sandeep Kambli of Mopa Vimanthal Pidit Xetkari Samiti (VPXS) said that the special land acquisition officer has announced that he would distribute cheques to land owners this week in connection with the acquisition of their land for the airport.
Irked by this announcement, which they termed as irrelevant, the villagers said the tenants who are tilling the land are the deemed owners and not the original land owners, who are sought to be paid the compensation. "The land is not in their possession and the cheques are being forcibly given," he added.
The government is trying to acquire about 80 lakh sq m of land for the approach road and airport in six villages.
The villagers are opposing the acquisition of land as it is largely productive and life-supporting. "Around 15,000 farmers have been subsisting on cashew, kokum, paddy, millets and other crops since time immemorial," Kambli said.
The villagers have been questioning the procedures followed by the government, alleging that no environment impact assessment has been carried out regarding the project. If the airport project goes ahead, it will not draw enough air traffic to make it a feasible proposition, considering requirement of volumes of traffic.
It may be recalled that the international civil aviation organization (ICAO), in its report to the Goa government, had raised doubts about the feasibility of a second airport at Mopa if the existing Dabolim airport is upgraded. "We will not surrender our land at any cost and are prepared to face death," Kambli said.
Mr Kambli, I' m very proud of you, we need people like your determination and courage. we all will die one day and nobdy can avoid it. You have 15,000 farmers with you, take example from the people of Khariavaddo,Vasco and fight for your fundamental right; as no power on earth can take from you. We Goans losing everything in Goa because of our crab mentality; if we join hands we can KICK THE CORRUPT CONGRESS GOVERNMENT AND ITS ANTI-GOAN POLICIES.VIVA KAMLI AND MOPA VILLAGERS.
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