National Airports Authority of India (NAAI) has approved plan on the basis of the technical feasibility report for construction of Greenfield international airport in an extent of 5,040 acres at Bhogapuram, said Kimidi Mrunalini, Minister for Rural Development, at a press conference here on Monday.
Of the total land identified in 20 habitations under eight revenue villages, 3,873 acres was private land and 1167.47 acres government land. The choice either to acquire land or pooling system was left to the farmers and they would be paid better compensation than offered to the farmers in the capital region. Further, 10,241 people would get displaced and the government would construct a house for each family on five cents of land either in Bhogapuram/Poosapatirega or Bhimili mandals, she said.
Farmers protest
Meanwhile, about 150 small and marginal farmers from Munjeru and Chakivalasa revenue villages on Monday staged a dharna at the Collector’s Office against the government’s decision. Sarpanches K. Ramakrishna (Munjeru) and L. Ramu Narsi (Chakivalasa), who represented the farmers, said that the government had now included their lands in the new plan to save the influential persons from losing their lands at Dibbalapalem, Kavulavada and Ravada which were initially identified in the plan. “We are ready to sacrifice our lives but will not allow officials to acquire lands for the airport,” they said.
