PERNEM: The villagers of Mopa have received notices quoting the rates that they will be paid for their land, which will be acquired for the Mopa international airport project, and after seeing the meagre rates, they are up in arms and are demanding more money for their land.

Mr Sitaram Parab, former sarpanch of the Mopa village panchayat said, "According to the notices we have received, we will get only Rs 14.90 per sq mt, which is very low and we are against this rate. We want the government to give us a minimum of Rs 150 per sq mt and in fact, we had submitted an affidavit to the concerned authorities that we should get Rs 300 per sq mt."

He said that if one takes the land prices today into consideration, then this Rs 14.90 per sq mt is nothing. He said that Rs 14.90 cannot even fetch fish for one time consumption. He pointed out that it is better to carry on with agricultural activities here, as we will earn far more that way than by giving the land for such a low rate. Besides the land which will be acquired will be several lakh
sq mts, he said. He further pointed and said, "It is mentioned in the notice that we will be given 80 per cent of the total amount first and the remaining later. For the last three years we have kept our land fallow because of the proposed airport project and so they should also give us compensation for the last three years." He said once again that they were not against the proposed Mopa airport project, however he said that the land owners should get good rates for the land.

Mr Suraj Parab, another resident of Mopa said, "We are not against the proposed Mopa airport project, however we are against the meagre rates that are being offered through the notices for our land. We can’t give our land for such low rates."

"If we see today’s land rates in Goa, what they are giving us is negligible and our demand is that they should give us minimum Rs 150 per sq mt for our land, which will be acquired for the proposed airport project," he added.