State gave consent to shut Dabolim airport for civil ops, claims Viriato

Margao: South Goa MP Capt(retd) Viriato Fernandes on Thursday created a major political storm by claiming state govt had given its consent to Centre to shut down Dabolim airport for commercial and civil operations.

He termed it a “shocking betrayal” of Goans.

“We received confidential information that Goa govt had been compromised over the issue of the continuance of Dabolim airport. The file has already been moved,” Fernandes said and added that 4.5 to 5 lakh people dependent directly or indirectly on the airport would be left jobless. “This is like striking at Goa’s economy. People won’t forgive this betrayal by Goa’s ministers,” he said.The MP wrote to defence minister Rajnath Singh, requesting him to ensure continuity of civil operations at Dabolim. In his letter dated Feb 12, Fernandes recalled that the UPA govt under chairperson Sonia Gandhi and then PM Manmohan Singh took a cabinet decision to keep civil aviation operations open at both Dabolim and Mopa airports.Citing examples of shared operational agreements at Air Force stations in Leh, Srinagar, Chandigarh, Pune, Agra, and other cities, Fernandes argued that Dabolim, which handles 50-60 civil aircraft landings daily alongside Navy operations, functioned smoothly without hindrance to either party.

Opposition leader Yuri Alemao termed the proposal as the “death of Dabolim airport” and accused govt of protecting GMR, the operator of Mopa airport. “This is a slap on the people of South Goa by the Pramod Sawant govt. The chief minister should immediately ask the defence minister for clarification; otherwise, there will be an agitation,” Alemao warned.State Congress president Amit Patkar accused transport minister Mauvin Godinho of lying to Goans about the defence minister’s assurance on keeping Dabolim operational.

“He should apologise to the people of Goa. The double engine govt should now prevail upon its first engine to cancel the file moved for shutting Dabolim airport,” Patkar said.GFP president Vijay Sardesai issued a seven-day ultimatum to the chief minister and transport minister, demanding an unequivocal guarantee that Dabolim will remain operational for civilians. “Either they issue a guarantee or Goa will witness a statewide agitation unlike any before,” he warned. If the transport minister cannot safeguard Dabolim, he must resign, Sardesai said.