Experts to examine land acquisition report for Gaggal airport expansion

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, April 21

In another step forward, the state Governor has constituted an expert group to examine the Social Impact Assessment report relating to the land acquisition for the Gaggal airport’s expansion.

As per the notification, the expert committee would have two non-official members, namely Professor Vishal Sood, Professor of Education, Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) and Dr Shashi Poonam, Associate professor in the Department of Social Work in CUHP, two representatives of panchayat, namely pradhan of gram panchayat Gaggal and pradhan of gram panchayat Rachhyalu.

THE process

• The agency hired by the state for social impact assessment of the project recently has faced stiff resistance from Gaggal area residents
• The expert panel will submit report on assessment of the social impact survey to govt
• On its basis, the state will take the decision to go-ahead with the land acquisition for the Gaggal airport expansion

Two experts on rehabilitation, who have been made members of the committee, are Sanjay Dhiman, Deputy Commissioner, Relief and Rehabilitation for Pong Dam oustees at Raja Ka Talab in Kangra district and Balwan Chand, joint secretary, revenue. The technical expert in the committee is Vinod Kumar Puniyal from Hamirpur district.

The expert committee would appraise the report of the agency hired by the state government for social impact assessment of Gaggal airport expansion project. The agency hired by the state government for social impact assessment of the project in the recent past has met with stiff resistance from people of Gaggal area who were opposed to the project.

Sources here said the expert committee would now submit the report to the state government regarding its assessment of social impact survey. On the basis of the report the state government will take a decision of going ahead with the process of land acquisition for Gaggal airport expansion.

The sources said the district administration has sent a proposal to the state government for acquisition of 105 acres land for airport expansion. This includes about 65 acres of private land and about 40 acres of government land.

In the Budget passed by the Congress government this year Rs 2,000 crores have been earmarked for the expansion of Gaggal airport. The government will have to acquire land for expansion of Gaggal airport and hand it over to the Airports Authorities of India (AAI).

The Gaggal airport is proposed to be expanded in two phases. Sources said the AAI, in the first phase, has decided to expand the airport length from 1,372 m to 1,900 m. In the second phase the length is proposed to be increased further from 1,900 m to 3,110 m.

A grant of Rs 400 crores was sanctioned by the central finance commission for expansion of Gaggal airport during the stint of previous BJP government. The expansion of Gaggal airport was a major demand of the tourism industry. The hotel associations of Kangra have been demanding the expansion of Gaggal airport.