The tardy pace at which the establishment of a full fledged Air Force Station (AFS) in Adilabad is progressing has made the farmers anxious as they are likely to lose their lands for it. Scores of them from Khanapur, Anukunta, Kachkanti and Tantoli villages in Adilabad mandal are still unable to decide whether to cultivate their land as it could be acquired any time for the project.
According to sources, the issue of land acquisition has been pending with the government since the last six months. The government has to issue a no objection certificate to the Indian Air Force facilitating acquisition of identified land for the purpose of establishment of the AFS.
“We do not know what’s happening or how long it will take for the government to take up land acquisition. The situation is not at all helpful because our lenders are quite reluctant to loan us money for seeds and other things as they are not sure whether we will be allowed to harvest the crop at the end of the season,” laments K. Narsing, an elder, also from the same village.
The farmers are undecided even in terms of employing labourers for the crop season ahead. Yelma Yashoda, a labourer from Anukunta who normally gets work in the fields around her village, says the situation has changed drastically. “We cannot find work easily. Farmers are reluctant to employ us for the entire season,” she points out.
The district administration had identified 1,592 acres of land in the villages in question which is contiguous with the existing old aerodrome. Subsequently, officials also confirmed the availability of required resources like water and power required for the proposed AFS.
Things began moving at a slow pace apparently due to the Telangana government being occupied with other important things post bifurcation. In September, 2014, Air Marshal Ramesh Rai, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, IAF, Bangalore, met the Chief Minister urging him to expedite things.
The IAF submitted land utilisation details and a draft no objection certificate to be issued by the State government soon after and the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, which is looking into land acquisition, recommended the government issue NOC in December, 2014. There is no news on the issue after that.
