Special correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji

Panaji, May 10: The families of nomadic Dhanagar tribe living on the plateau acquired by the state government for Greenfield airport at Mopa fear migration and eventually become extinct. The proposed airport project has brought in a period of uncertainty for these families, who have been living here for almost a century now.

Bhago Warak, 80, stays here with his family right from his childhood. The family has now multiplied. There are five more houses of Waraks in the vicinity. Few more people from same nomadic Dhangar tribe have joined the league sharing the plateau, amicably.

It takes almost one hour ride through rough non-tarred road to reach the plateau from the main Mopa village. The plateau is named as Mopa-Sodo. The parched plateau is a home for 12 families. From far-off, the village resembles a desert with scorching sun wreaking havoc on the rocky land.  Majority of the houses have palm thatched roofs and a couple with tiles on them. Every house has a goat stable.

“Things were all right till 2000. But suddenly there was a buzz of airport project planned here. Initially we thought that we would be spared as we live much away from the actual Mopa village,” Bhago explains. Mopa is almost 30 kms north of capital city of Panaji.
“But, we were crestfallen when we saw government officers arriving here to demarcate land for the airport project,” he said puffing in beedi smoke. Raising goats is the prime vocation of these families, whose male members travel to Pernem, a small town few kilometers away on Goa-Maharashtra border in search of daily wage job.

These families are left in lurch as they are not sure of getting the government compensation, which is paid for land acquisition. “The original owners of the land are Deshprabhu, Parab, Kambli and Fauzdar families. There is no record with us to prove our rights. But it’s truth that we have been staying here for almost a century now,” Bhago claimed.

Goa government has fast paced the Greenfield airport project, which is expected to take shape by 2015.  Once the airport is completed, it is expected to accommodate wide bodied aircrafts. It would be second airport in the coastal state. For ages, the Dhangar families have battled against the odds. Namisha Varak, a housewife, narrates how they travel three kilometers to reach to a spring to fetch fresh water. There is no electricity in this hamlet. “Children have to travel three kilometers to reach to the nearest road where they are picked up by a school bus. Everyday they travel two hours to reach to the bus stand,” Namisha explained.

While the families are still uncertain about their future, the popular humour that makes round amongst them is that `although they will not be able to board the airplane, airport will help them to see flights from close distance, which they have never got to see in life time.’

“What will we do watching flights? There is no assurance from the government about employment to the locals. We would happily relocate ourselves, if there is some assurance of at least employment at the project,” a young boy, school drop out from one of the families stated. Local legislator, Rajendra Arlekar, who is also speaker of Goa legislative assembly, said that `everyone affected due to airport project would be compensated.’ “Even if they have no document to prove their right of land, government will compensate them,” he assured.