Panaji, Jan 7 (TOI): Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president, Luizinho Faleiro, on Tuesday said the country's defence minister Manohar Parrikar should ensure that the Indian Navy keeps up its side of the agreement with the government of Goa in April 2010 and hand over 12.5 acres of land on the east side of the civilian enclave for apron expansion, which would help in streamlining facilities and movement at Dabolim Airport.

In addition to this, he said, three acres within the Naval compound adjacent to multi-level car parking facility could be handed to the AAI for long term development of parking and other aviation facilities and 12 acres of land on the western side of the civilian exclave could be earmarked for future expansion as and when the need arises. The Dabolim airport, he said, was handicapped and a lot of problems would be solved with this expansion.

Addressing mediapersons in Panaji on Tuesday, Faleiro called the government's decision "to allot 150 acres of scarce Goan land at Quittol to the defence ministry for the AeroIndia defence and civilian airshow a cruel joke and treachery to Goans." Gram sabhas and people at the panchayat level were all opposed to it he said and Goans can hardly be expected to believe that employment opportunities will be created for them at a show that takes place for just a few days every two years.

Compared to any other state in the country, Goa has a large area which has been occupied by the defence force with the ministry occupying large areas in Dabolim, Mormugao, Vasco, Bambolim, Navelim, Ponda, Betul, Ilhas dos Ratos, Anjediva Island, Panaji, Cortalim, Quepem, Verem and Cavelossim among other places, Faleiro pointed out. The state government had been more than generous to the Armed Forces allowing its only Civilian Dabolim Airport to the Indian Navy since 1962, he said. "The Goa government handed over Anjediva Island to the Navy without receiving a single paise," he said.

The ministry in the past had rejected the Quittol site for a second airport, on technical grounds, Faleiro pointed out. The airport coming up at Mopa, which demands the sacrifice of 84 lakh sq m of land, was unfortunate for farmers, he said.