The Navy is still awaiting an NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the Goa Government to allow it to take over two islands close to its Dabolim airport to meet the security concerns related to the aircraft operations.
Disclosing this in a written reply to Shantaram Naik (Congress) in the Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister A K Antony said these islands pose security risks as they are located at a distance of less than four km of the landing funnel of the airport.
The islands sought by the Navy are the State government-owned “Pequeno Island of 2,78,525 square metres and a larger privately-owned “Grande Island” having an area of 5,28,575 sq metres, Antony said.
This proposal has been made in order to address the security concerns related to aircraft operations from Naval Air Station Dabolim and the case is being processed as per existing regulations.
However, the Navy’s plan to acquire two picturesque islands off Goa for “security purposes” has triggered a chorus of protests in the region as the State had plans to set up a tourism-oriented amusement park on one of these.
According to Shantaram Naik, the Navy was simply attempting to ‘grab land’.
“These islands are part and parcel of the State. Tourism activity, fishing activities and religious ceremonies will be trampled upon by the Indian Navy in the name of security. They are just trying to hog land. Goa should be opposing these attempts by the Indian Navy tooth and nail,” Naik had told reporters in Goa recently.
Mauvin Godinho, Deputy Speaker of the Goa legislative assembly and a legislator from the nearby Cortalim area, said the Navy should post its personnel on the beaches for vigil instead of acquiring them lock, stock and barrel.
“If the Navy claims the acquisition of islands is for security purposes, than they can beef up patrolling around the islands without acquiring them,” he said.
[Source]
