A 300-year old village being uprooted for Airport expansion

Delhi Airport's expansion plan has hit a roadblock. A 300-year old village is being uprooted to make way for the expansion of the Delhi Airport. But the villagers have fought back, seeking proper rehabilitation, reports CNBC-TV18.
This village by the airport, Nangal Dewat has to make way for other people's flights.
The Airports Authority of India acquired land in 1972, and has been sitting over it since, violating several norms in the process.
Ram Narayan, a villager from Nangal Dewat, says, “They are offering Rs 40,000 for one acre of land. With that, I can't even lay the foundation of a house.”
At current market rates, the price of his land would be about Rs 4-5 lakhs per square yard. The government is offering him Rs 24 per square yard. It's the price that was fixed in 1972, when the land was first acquired. But there are many who are not even getting Rs 24 for their square yard of land. About 122 Dalit households will get nothing.
Ram Meher, another villager is one of them. He says, “I have 20 family members, where will I go?”
The villagers of Nangal Dewat went to the High Court seeking proper rehabilitation and compensation. The court did issue a stay order which the DDA ( Delhi Development Authority) took no note of. It instead told the villagers to leave in 24 hours, saying else they'd lose whatever little compensation they were entitled to. Villager Gajendra Choudhury of Nangal Dewat, says, “Let them develop the land over our dead bodies.”
There are more signs of pressure, barbed wires have been put up by DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited).Sewage from the Centaur hotel is now directed towards the village.
12/03/07 Moneycontrol.com

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Mar 2007