The Goa Congress has questioned the Navy's need to have a golf course at the INS Hansa Naval base in the light of a local demand for the expansion of Dabolim airport for civilian purposes.
Adding fuel to an already volatile airport controversy, in which the State Government's move to build a second airport in the small State are being opposed by a section of the State's populace.
Addressing a Press conference, Congree leader, luizinho Faleiro said that the Indian Navy was being unreasonable in refusing to allot 12.5 acres of land it had earlier agreed to hand over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to upgrade and increase its passenger and cargo traffic capacity.
"If the Indian Navy can have space for a golf course there, then why can't they allocate more space for the extension of the airport," Faleiro asked. Faleiro was the Chief Minister when the State Government first made a request to build a second airport in the small State.
Dabolim is centrally located and the second airport planned in the north is being opposed on account of distance from the State's southern reaches.