VIZIANAGARAM: Amidst increasing opposition to the land acquisition process for the proposed greenfield airport at Bhogapuram, the State Government seems to have decided to reduce the extent of land proposed for acquisition from 15,000 acre to 6,000 acre.
Further, the government, which tried to lure farmers with the land pooling formula, promising to boost the real estate market, is all-out wooing the farmers of Bhogapuram with a similar concept. However, it has cautioned that if land pooling does not happen, lands will be taken over by invoking the Land Acquisition Act. Speaking to newsmen here Saturday, district collector MM Nayak tried to allay apprehensions over the extent of land to be obtained for the mega project, comprising a greenfield international airport along with maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility and an aero city.
“Unnecessary apprehensions are prevailing among people over the extent of land to be acquired for the airport project. We would acquire only 6,000 acres under the land pooling method. If land pooling does not yield results, we might opt for the land acquisition method,” he said. The state government has proposed the establishment of the new airport at Bhogapuram after concluding that the existing international airport at Visakhapatnam, being under the control of the Navy, is beyond the scope of expansion.
According to the district collector, the required land had been identified, spread over six revenue villages, and 19 habitations in four revenue villages will be displaced. He promised that all the remaining villages and habitations will not be disturbed and people need not vacate their homes.
“In the case of those whose houses will be acquired, the government will pay the maximum compensation of Rs 8 lakh. Further, every member of the house whose age is over 18 years will be considered as a family and would be given five cents land and Rs 1.28 lakh as compensation towards relief and rehabilitation package,” Nayak said. For those who hand over the lands under the land pooling method, the compensation would be paid on the lines of the land acquired for the new capital.
In a Nutshell