Project faces land acquisition problems

KASKI, MAY 28 -

The Regional International Airport in Pokhara has encountered land acquisition problems soon after the construction contract was awarded ending years of uncertainty over the scheme’s continuation.

On May 22, the government gave the contract to build the national pride project in Pokhara, a trade and tourist hub in western Nepal, to China CMC Engineering Co. Pokhara is presently served by a domestic airport.

Owners of the land recently acquired for the airport project have submitted a five-point memorandum to the Chief District Officer (CDO) Krishna Bahadur Raut demanding compensation and other facilities. They have formed a House and Land Victim Struggle Committee, and about 40 people met with the CDO on Monday to ask for compensation. The landowners have demanded that they be reimbursed at the rate of  Rs 350,000 per cubit, and that the compensation be fixed with the consent of the house owners. They have also asked that the payment be given to them in a lump sum.

The landowners have said that the airport project should purchase the entire plot in case part of their property has been marked for acquisition. They have also demanded that families facing

displacement due to land acquisition for the airport should be accorded priority for employment in the construction project.

The president of the struggle committee Dil Bahadur Gharti complained that their land had been taken over without first reaching an agreement on compensation.

The government recently acquired another 660 ropanis of land for the regional international airport. It had originally taken over 3,106 ropanis of land 39 years ago for the new airport.

CDO Raut said that they were distributing compensation as per prices determined by the evaluation committee after the government issued a 15-day notice regarding acquisition of the land.

As per the law, a committee headed by the CDO determines the value of the land and compensation.

Raut said that the landowners would get appropriate compensation based on the valuation of their land and houses. “The valuation will be made as per the law.”

Source: The Kathmandu Post