By Bhiva P Parab
PERNEM: Under the banner of the Mopa Vimantall Piditt Xetkari Samiti, several locals have once again reiterated their opposition to the acquisition of land for the proposed Mopa international airport. The secretary of the samiti, Mr Sandip Kambli said that no compensation can make up for their land as it is a valuable treasure left by their forefathers.

“The land is gold for us as we depend on it for our livelihood and the government should not destroy the only source of our livelihood. Several people from Nanechepani, Shemechiadvan, Dhangarwaddo-Casarvarnem, Tulaskarwadi, Ameri and surrounding areas will be affected by the proposed international airport and it would be wrong on the part of the government to take away their land,” he said adding, “Until now no one has spoken to us about what compensation we will get, however we are not interested in any compensation as we don’t want to part with our land.”
“The government is planning to acquire around 90 lakh square metres of land which has lakhs of cashew trees that are the main source of livelihood of around thousands of people living in these areas. Apart from these, there are several betel-nut, jackfruit, mango and coconut trees and the people have judiciously used the land for growing fruit-bearing trees with minimum interference with natural forest comprising of innumerable trees of various species having economic and environmental values that cannot be estimated,” he said and added, “There is also a large population in and around the whole area which depend on fresh water springs and if the good forest hills which retain water as natural water reservoirs are destroyed, their livelihood will also be affected.”
Some locals maintained that the proposed Mopa international airport has added to the woes of the poor Dhangars who have been residing here on the Sada area for several decades but they are afraid to speak out.
“We are content with whatever we earn residing in the Sada area but being poor, we can’t openly oppose the project and accept whatever compensation we will get for our land. However we have not received any notice till date,” said a Dhangar youth, Mr Nagesh Varak whose family could be rehabilitated if the project comes true.
“Today we have our cattle, we could sell some products which fetches us at least few rupees and also we get daily-wage work since people from surrounding areas know us. But if we are displaced and rehabilitated somewhere else, we may not get facilities for our cattle to graze. In such a situation what will we do,” asked another Dhangar, Mr Sonu Varak from Varkhand village panchayat.
The people who are supporting the project say that the proposed Mopa international airport will bring development in Pernem and it will benefit the youth as they can get jobs there and this project will be beneficial for the state.
“I am supporting the proposed Mopa international airport project as it will help in the development of the Pernem taluka and the youth from Pernem will also get an opportunity get jobs, it will help in solving the unemployment problem,” said the deputy sarpanch of the Varkhand village panchayat, Mr Aaba Talkatkar.
“The project will also benefit the state and will reduce the burden on the only airport in the state and the government will give compensation to those people whose land will be utilised for the airport,” he added.
“It is a good thing that an international airport project has been proposed here in Pernem and I support the project as it will bring development in the Pernem taluka and create jobs too and so it will benefit the people and also the state,” said a resident from Tamboxe-Mopa-Uguvem village panchayat, Mr Dasharat Mahale.