Citing changes to climate and strain on the economy, convenor of Goans for Dabolim Only (GFDO) Fr Eremito Rebello has written a letter to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to re-examine the Mopa development policy. Addressing media persons in Margao, Fr Rebello said, “There has been a major climate change since the Mopa airport idea was conceptualised by the government. It is quite clear that Goa had crossed its carrying capacity long ago primarily due to the untenable policies of the past. The primary resources of Goa like forests, agricultural land, plateaus, grounds and surface water bodies, minerals, hills, flood and storm infrastructure, khazans, sand dunes and sea have been defiled and polluted, and even permanently destroyed in some instances due to development works. Closure of mining, collapse of tourism, real estate market saturation, and gross failure of industrial estates are proof of total failure of the polices that were adopted by the erstwhile government. There is an urgent need therefore to change our direction.’’
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This is the first letter made to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant by the GFDO. Fr Rebello said that in last 13 years, Dabolim airport services have seen improvement and hence there is no need of Mopa airport project. In the letter, Fr Rebello further said, “The GFDO therefore appeals to you to re-examine the development policy set for Goa by earlier regimes in different times and circumstances and redefine and shape it to fit in with the needs and imperatives of our present situation in dealing with climate change, by making it community-centric and encouraging local entrepreneurs to set up dairy enterprises.”