Tudu accuses Odisha govt of delaying Amarda airstrip revival

Says no govt representative turned up to receive land documents
Amarda airstrip at Rashgovindpur in Mayurbhanj district | Express
Amarda airstrip at Rashgovindpur in Mayurbhanj district | Express
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BARIPADA: Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu on Tuesday accused the state government of not taking interest in revival of Amarda airstrip at Rashgovindpur in Mayurbhanj district.Tudu said the Ministry of Defence organised a function to hand over record of rights (ROR) of the land required for the airstrip’s revival, to the state government. However, neither the Mayurbhanj collector nor any district official turned up at the event to take the land documents.

“The Defence Ministry was supposed to hand over land measuring 160.35 acre under the DRDO, Chandipur to the state government. Five officers from the ministry had come to Mayurbhanj for the purpose. However, not a single representative of the state government turned up to receive the land documents. This proves that the state government does not want to revive the airstrip,” alleged Tudu.

The union minister claimed the DRDO, Chandipur in Balasore district had issued a letter to Mayurbhanj Collector on October 4 to attend the function and receive the land documents.Once Amarda airstrip becomes operational under the UDAN scheme, the entire region will witness development. Apart from residents of Mayurbhanj, people residing in southern parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal will also benefit from the airstrip. But lack of cooperation from the state government is causing delay in making the airstrip operational, he added.

Contacted, Mayurbhanj collector Vineet Bhardwaj said the state government had asked the DRDO to mail the land documents online. The government is taking necessary steps for revival of the airstrip, he added.
On the day, farmers of Rashgovindpur block staged road blockade demanding compensation for the land on which Amarda airstrip has been constructed. An agitator Dularam Soren claimed the airstrip was built in 1946 on the land of local farmers. However, they have not been provided any compensation till date.
The road blockade was lifted after Rashgovindpur police led by Mayurbhanj SP B Gangadhar rushed to the spot and pacified the agitators.

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