Farmers face deadline over land acquisition for Purandar airport
Farmers who do not submit their consent letters by September 18 for land acquisition for the proposed Purandar International Airport will have their land acquired forcibly without additional compensation
PUNE: Land acquisition for the proposed Purandar International Airport has reached a crucial stage wherein farmers who do not submit their consent letters by Thursday, September 18, will have their land acquired forcibly without the additional compensation benefits promised to those who voluntarily part with their land.
According to the Pune district administration, farmers have been given time till Thursday, September 18, to submit their consent letters after which, the administration will begin joint land measurement within the next week.
The land acquisition drive, which began on August 25, has so far received significant response. Around 2,200 farmers have consented to parting with 2,250 acres of land. The government has announced a special package for these consenting farmers, including 10% of the developed land in the planned Aero City in addition to compensation at four times the market value. For small landholders, the government also plans to form collective companies so that they can benefit together.
District collector Jitendra Dudi clarified that those who refuse consent will only receive compensation at four times the market rate but will not get the 10% land return benefit. “Farmers who do not submit their consent letters by September 18 will have their land acquired forcibly. In such cases, they will only get the compensation amount and not the land return benefits available to voluntary participants.”
The land to be acquired is spread across seven villages in Purandar taluka namely Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, Kumbharvalan, Ekhatpur, Pargaon, Munjwadi and Khanwadi.
On Tuesday, Dudi visited these villages and held discussions with the farmers. He explained the benefits of the package and the consequences of not giving consent. While many farmers expressed satisfaction with the compensation plan, some demanded further enhancement of the package. Notably, resistance from a section of the farmers who were strongly opposed to the project earlier seems to be weakening. The administration stated that once joint measurement is completed, compensation rates will be finalised and the acquisition process will move forward.
