By Paritosh Chakma
IN YET another glaring instance as to how the people
affected by so called developmental projects are shabbily treated in this
country, the Papumpare Chakma Welfare Society has brought to the public notice
that 237 Chakma families face imminent displacement due to acquisition of the
lands for the proposed Itanagar Greenfield Airport at Hollongi in Papumpare
district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The state government has failed to consult the
affected people and there is no transparency in the proposed acquisition of the
lands and the affected people are being kept in the dark.
On 13 and 14 September 2012, five Chakma inhabited
villages (Chakma Blocks No. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 10) have been demarcated as proposed
airport site by the magistrate/ extra assistant commissioner (EAC) Balijan
Circle under the direction from the state government. But neither the
government of Arunachal Pradesh nor the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has
informed anything officially to the affected people regarding the acquisition
of their lands. Chakmas do not know where the displaced people will be
resettled, the PCWS stated in a press statement.
The proposed airport site at Hollongi is a 'Chakma
settlement area' where Chakmas from the then East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, had
been settled by the government of India in consultation with the then local
administration during 1964-69. “If the Chakmas lose their allotted lands, they
stand to lose everything. In the absence of any other livelihood options as
well as any government support, agriculture is the only means of survival for
them,” stated Bodhisatta Chakma, President, PWCS.
The affected Chakmas have demanded that authorities
make the land acquisition process transparent, and affected people be
“adequately consulted” in all stages including preparation of the detailed
project report.
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