‘Greenfield’ Airports Make Land Oustees See Red

Fertile agricultural land is being acquired for the Airport

Two ‘greenfield’ airports, located over 1500 kilometres apart, are making strong headlines. Both have become engulfed in controversies over the payment of compensation for land  and damages caused to residential buildings. At both locations those deprived, and to be deprived, of their land have promised to fight the authorities to the finish.

One of the two is the Jewar International Airport is coming up in Gautam Budh Nagar in Jewar,Gautam Budh Nagar District. The government has expressed confidence that the airport, which is being constructed to take on the congestion at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, will become operational in 2022-23. Taking into consideration the anger brewing among the land owners in the area there is a strong possibility that the target date will be postponed.

The government’s confidence is based on the assurance extended by over 70 percent of the farmers whose land is to be acquired for the project. In recent weeks the farmers have protested the fact that the compensation being paid is not to their expectations. The farmers say that they had given their approval to the location of the airport. They say that there has been no discussion regarding the compensation even though the government has made promises.

Land in  eight villages, Rohi, Parohi, Banwaribas, Ramner, Dayanatpur, Kishorpur, Mukimpur Shivara and Ranhera is to be acquired for the first phase of the project..  The   Villagers are insisting on Rs 3600 per square meter as the price at which they would be willing to offer their land.

The government, reportedly has offered two proposals. Under the first it will pay a compensation 

Jewar farmers sit in protest 

 amount at Rs 2,300 per square metre along with certain benefits, including housing, compensation for the cost of construction (tubewells, houses) on the plot, employment for one member of each family or a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, cost of cattle among others.  The second proposal  will include  compensation of Rs 2,500 per square metre with no additional benefits.

Negotiations are likely to be difficult because of the high dose of distrust the farmers have towards the government and the YEIDA. There are   5,000 farmers who claim they  are yet to receive full compensation from the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YIEDA) even after nine years.

The lack of faith in the government is further aggravated by the fact that the Government has notified some of the villages as urban under Article 12A of the UP Industrial Area Development Act in 2016. As a consequence, these farmers will get only twice the circle rate, whereas if they remained rural, they would get four times the circle rate in compensation. Farmers claim that the notification was issued only to reduce the amount of compensation to be paid.  Government officials, however, claim that the main reason for the notification was because agricultural land cannot be used for the construction of the airport

Farmers say  “In 2008, when the Yamuna Expressway was built and our land was acquired. They gave us some compensation  and promised us that we will also get an alternative  plot, but till  day this promise has not been fulfilled..   The Allahabad HC and the Supreme court  has  said that we should be paid 64 percent additional compensation, nothing has happened on this as  yet. We do not want a repetition of the same episode. “Ten years ago we were cheated, we don't want to be cheated again”.

Pakyong Airport in Sikkim

The second airport, Pakyong Aiport, located in Sikkim, was inaugurated on September 26 this year by the Prime Minister. The inauguration was done despite, according to Benup Dhakal, a local resident, the Prime Minister’s office had issued a notice on September 14 asking that the inauguration be deferred till after “ the case was settled and all problems solved.”    
                                                        

According to farmers’ representatives local farmers are agitated over the fact that the authorities have not paid them full compensation for the land acquired. They say that they have made several representations to both the Airport Authority of Indian and the state government. Neither of them has responded. Each throws  the ball into the others court. Frustrated by the negative response the farmers have filed a case in the High Court.

The farmers have also petitioned the Prime Minister. In response the Prime Minister’s office is reported to have issued a notice indicating that the inauguration be delayed till after the case is settled and all the problems are solved. The farmers are visibly annoyed over the fact that the Prime Minister went through with the inauguration despite the letter sent by his office.

According to reports about 400 families have been impacted. Of these 150 families have been rendered homeless. The Farmers say that the project  acquired 201 for the terminal building, runway, staff quarters etc. During the course of construction several houses were badly damaged and over 300 acres of agricultural land has become non cultivatable. This land was not acquired and belongs to the farmers who were cultivating vegetables and earning a reasonable income for their families.  

Framers say “We were compensated for the damage done to our home. But the damage to our land, which was not acquired yet, has deprived us of livelihood.” They say that only 20 percent of the compensation due has been paid to them so far. They have not been provided alternate sites to build their homes. The families whose houses have been damaged have been rendered homeless and forced to live in rented accommodation or with relatives or friends.

The plight of the farmers has attracted the attention of the opposition parties in the state. The leader of the main opposition party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Prem Singh Golay,  visited the area  and spoke to the impacted farmers. He assured them that “The stir will intensify unless compensation is paid following guidelines of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.”  

This is a story being repeated across the country were government has been acquiring land in the name of economic development pushing farmers deeper in poverty and deprivation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    “ Should farmers sacrifice their livelihood, their respect and their dignity for the wellbeing of the urban elite,” is a question on the lips all all those being dispossessed of their land. The farmers say that their land has been with them for several generations

According to the farmers  “ It is a means of income, however much, it earns us respect, gives us status in society and among fellow community members. Without the land we loose respect and are reduced to the status of beggars with no means of earning a livelihood for our families. The government should ensure that after acquiring our land they ensure us means to retain of status, respect and means of income. We must have a share in the utilities created with the use of our land.”