The land acquisition process for a proposed airport and industrial area in Gadchiroli in Maharashtra was temporarily put on hold after more than 3000 farmers held an agitation at the district collectorate, officials said on Sunday.
These farmers, who took part in the sit-in stir for the past couple of days, claimed their fertile lands were being acquired for the airport as well as industrial projects in Charmorshi.
Officials said the Maharashtra government, on May 12 this year, gave administrative and financial sanction of approximately Rs 104 crore to acquire 311.81 hectares of land, including those under government, private and forest department control, from Shirapur Chak, Guruvala, Hirapur and Rakhi villages for building an airport in the district.
"The government's attempt to acquire land by issuing direct orders for these projects, without obtaining consent of the original landowners, is highly unjust and unacceptable. The government must immediately revoke all land acquisition orders," Communist Party of India district general secretary Amol Markawar told PTI.
Several acres of land in five villages will be taken over for the airport and 14 villages will be affected for the proposed steel plant of JSW Group in Charmorshi, while land in 13 villages is being acquired for a Lloyds Metals project, claimed Azad Samaj Party leader Vivek Khobragade.
The land being acquired is fertile land, which has distressed more than 6000 farmers, he alleged.
On Saturday, district guardian minister Ashish Jaiswal met the agitating farmers and announced that further land acquisition process for the airport is being temporarily suspended.
A final decision on the process will be taken after discussion with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he added.
"The government has always played a positive role in protecting farmers," he said while officials handed over a letter signed by the district collector to the protesting farmers.
The stir was called off on Saturday following this assurance.
Jaiswal said for the processes that have begun to acquire land for the proposed Chamorshi industrial township and for JSW, residents and farmers will be given an additional 90 days to file objections and present submissions.
"This will keep further action suspended and allow additional time to consider all related issues before the next decision is made," Jaiswal said.
Gadchiroli was among the country's worst Left Wing Extremism affected districts, but a relentless campaign by security forces has almost wiped out Maoist presence, enabling the government to plan mining-based industrial projects as well as an airport in the area.
(With inputs from PTI)