Tulihal airport expansion move: HC issues notice to respondents

Imphal: Acting on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), Gauhati High Court has issued notice to the 9 respondents giving 4 weeks time to response to the prayer for immediate stoppage of the Imphal Tulihal Airport expansion move including land acquisition process which is currently underway.
The respondents include Deputy Collector, Commissioner, Revenue Dept, Govt of Manipur and Airport Authority of India.
The High Court issued the notice following a PIL filed jointly by the Human Rights Alert (HRA) and North East Peoples' Alliance on Trade, Finance and Development (NEPATFD) .
The PIL sought the court to stop the ongoing land acquisition process as the project is allegedly being carried out without the mandatory Environmental Clearance under the Environment Protection Act & Rules, 1986 .
Issuing a statement in this regard, programme executive of HRA Basantakumar Wareppa pointed out that of all the airports in India, Tulihal Airport is closest to the city and falls within the larger populated area of Imphal.
Since its creation during the 2nd World War, the airport has been expanded in 1961, 1970 and 1991 and the villages in the surrounding areas have been pushed out several times.
The present project, seeks to further expand the airport by an additional 690.8 acres of land, affecting not less than 7 villages.
Homestead land, agriculture land, fish farms, sacred groves, community ponds and grounds and even a school will be evicted in the process.
07/04/09 The Sangai Express/E-PAO

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Categories: Airports Apr 2009