Fearing loss of land, villagers protest against airport at Balh

Tribune News Service

Mandi, October 1

Balh Bachao Sangharsh Samiti staged a protest on Monday in the town against proposed construction of airport at Balh in Mandi district.

The protesters alleged that the airport in Balh area would render 2,000 families landless, which would adversely affect their livelihood. The protest was staged under the leadership of Prem Chand Saini, chairperson of the samiti, in which a large number of people from Balh area took part.

He said huge tract of land was required for the proposed airport. Due to lack of adequate government land, agriculture land of farmers would be acquired, which will make them landless.

“We are already bearing the brunt of the four-laning of the Chandigarh-Manali highway for which people have lost their residential or commercial building besides agriculture land. We want the state government to find a suitable land at some other place, where displacement of people should be less”, he remarked.

Later they submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Jai Ram through Sub Divisional Magistrate Mandi.