Aerotropolis ‘land grab' irks villagers
This is happening even as the govt continues to serve eviction notives to migrant Muslim families living on encroached land. The administration issued notices to 105 pattadars of Garal village in Ramchrani Mouza/Pargana of the urban district near Guwahati Airport, local villagers said on Monday.
According to a govt order, the land acquisition is intended for aerotropolis development covering the Garal village, as requested by the managing director of Assam Industrial Development Corporation.
While some pattadars are Muslims, residents said the majority are Assamese-Hindu families who have lived in the area for generations.
The govt's plan for the aerotropolis project perhaps extends beyond Garal, which lies north of the Adani Group-managed LGBI Airport. Residents of Azara and Mirzapur, to the east of the airport, are also expressing strong opposition to the land acquisition proceedings.
"We won't vacate our land at any cost," said Akan Chandra Das, president, Mirzapur Anchalik Bhumi Suraksha Samiti, on Monday.
The committee represents residents from Mirzapur, Azara, and Garal villages whose lands are targeted for acquisition. "Already nine to ten times, our families gave land to the govt post-Independence. for development of the airport, adjacent roads, and defence establishments near the Guwahati airport.
If the remaining land is also taken away for development projects, where will we go?How will our children survive without agriculture if they don't get jobs in other sectors?" he asked.
Basudev Mali, a retired teacher from Mirzapur, said, "We are original inhabitants of this land. We are not ready to accept the compensation the govt is going to give."
The committee, recently formed under Das's leadership to protect villagers' interests, claims that 257 bighas in Mirzapur, 83 bighas in Garal, and 84 bighas in Azara are slated for acquisition.
"We lost our valuable farmlands for the airport and other govt establishments. If the govt continues to take over our lands for airport expansion or for aerotropolis development now, who will ensure the survival of our children? The remaining farmlands were our only hope, but the govt wants to take away that also," said Mali, who owns 10 bighas of land near the airport.
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