Rs 33 cr okayed as land compensation, Gaggal residents hold protest

As the government last week sanctioned Rs 33 crore as the first instalment to compensate the people for acquisition of their land for the expansion of Gaggal airport, the affected residents today held a protest. The residents of many villages, whose land was being acquired for the expansion, gathered at Gaggal crossing and protested. Led by BJP MLA from Kangra, Pawan Kajal, they raised slogans against the state government and vowed not to vacate their lands.

Pawan Kajal said that the matter regarding the expansion of Gaggal airport was sub judice as the affected people have challenged it in the Himachal High Court. While the court was scheduled to hear the plea of the residents, the state government has started the process of distributing compensation to landowners. This was illegal and a hasty step. The government should wait for the court decision before taking over the land of the farmers for expansion of Gaggal airport, he said.

The protestors alleged that the government was doing injustice with farmers by forcibly acquiring their land. Many of the farmers, whose land was being acquired, were Pong Dam ousted and it was for the second time that they were being uprooted, the protestors alleged. They threatened to intensify their stir in the coming days.

Sources here said that the district administration of Kangra has calculated the compensation to be distributed among the landowners at Rs 930 crore. Though the first notification was issued last year, the distribution of compensation to the land owners was yet to start.

About 2,500 families from Gaggal area are likely to be uprooted due to the expansion of Gaggal airport. The state government has notified acquisition of 105 acres land for expansion. This included about 65 acres of private land and about 40 acres of government land.

Say won’t vacate land

• The government is doing injustice by forcibly acquiring their land for the airport expansion, residents alleged and vowed not to vacate their land
• BJP MLA Pawan Kajal said that the matter regarding the expansion of Gaggal airport was sub judice as the people have challenged it in the Himachal High Court.
• While the court was scheduled to hear the plea of the residents, the state government has started the process of distributing compensation, he said.