Imphal airport hits hurdle

Imphal: Villagers who are in danger of losing their land to the government for expansion of Imphal airport today made an aborted attempt to disrupt aviation operations.
Imphal is one of the 35 non-metro airports that the Airports Authority of India has chosen for development and modernisation.
Police have launched a crackdown on protesters, arresting five of them on Monday, but that did not stop a group from gathering at Ningombam village this morning to plan the airport shutdown.
The immediate trigger was a report that officials of the state settlement department may visit to farms to survey them for acquisition.
But just when they had begun discussing the plan, the police came and dispersed the group.
The villagers regrouped later but deployment of police, India Reserve Battalion and army personnel forced them to give up their plan of picketing.
12/03/08 The Telegraph

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

Categories: Airports Mar 2008, New Mar 2008