CCDD decries Imphal airport expansion move

Imphal: Maintaining that the State should refrain from any non-agricultural initiative encroaching on farm lands, and to protect the livelihood of the people, the Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) has urged upon the Government of India to scrap the plan for expansion of Tulihal Airport, Imphal.
In a statement, the CCDD also urged upon the State Government not to take up any developmental activity without free, prior and informed consent of the people and without studying the social, environmental, human rights and other impacts of any development project.
The move to acquire over 1000 acres of land for Imphal airport expansion and other proposed mega projects like the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Manipur University expansion, the Trans Asian Highway and Railway will serious undermine food security, deepen economic crisis and increase dependency on outsiders manifold, it cautioned.
Absence of effective rehabilitation and resettlement policy of Manipur has already led to massive displacement, impoverishment and other survival threats to the people of Manipur as was evident in the case of the Loktak Multipurpose Project, Khuga dam, Mapithel dam, NIT construction, Capitol complex construction etc, observed CCDD.
16/01/08 The Sangai Express/E-Pao.net

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

Categories: Airports Jan 2008, New Jan 2008