The Manohar International Airport, or Mopa Airport, was inaugurated in December 2022. And it was named after the former Defence Minister and the 10th Chief Minister of Goa. However, the airport has become the venue of a massive protest. In fact, the administration has imposed CrPC section 144 around the area. Here’s why people are protesting at the Manohar International Airport and what their demands are.
Protests Around Mopa Airport
This newest airport in Goa has become a site for a massive protest. According to an order issued by the District Collector Mamu Hage, the people protesting belong to Pernem taluka, Mopa, Warkhand, Nagzar and Chandel. They have got together under the banner “Together For Pednekars”. Tragically, people from Pernem taluka have lost their lands due to the construction of the airport. Around 78.41 lakh square metres of land from the villages in Pernem taluka was acquired by the authorities.
The order points out that the protesters demand to be given first preference while registering for taxis for plying from the airport along with a second counter. In addition to this, they also demand to not allow private aggregators to enter the facility.
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Ban On Assembling
According to information provided by the superintendent of police for North Goa, the protesters are likely to congregate in large numbers at the Nagzar sports complex and disrupt the free flow of traffic and create a law and order situation on the road leading to the airport. The order even states that there is a chance that the association’s (protesters’) actions could disrupt traffic and the movement of the general public in advance of the impending G20 summit in Goa.
Additionally, a 500-metre radius around the Manohar International Airport, as well as the villages of Nagzar, Varkhand, Uguve, Chandel-Hassapur, and Casarvanem, are covered by the section that prevents unlawful assembly. This order will be in force for the next 60 days!
No matter how important the project is, the villagers have lost their homes and land to achieve this mega dream.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Narendra Modi/ Twitter