Locals refuse land for hub airport in Pokhara

POKHARA, March 19: At a time when the government is making preparations to acquire additional land for the proposed Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA), locals in Pokhara have refused to provide the land required for the construction.



Stating that the government failed to address the demands they put forward earlier regarding the construction, the locals said they will not provide any land to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). [break]The announcement came in the wake of the government´s recent move to acquire additional land for the PRIA construction.



A few days ago, CAA had issued a notice on the acquisition of 550 ropani in wards 14, 15 and 18 of Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City. CAA had even conducted a scrutiny of the areas involved.



In 1975, the government had acquired 3,106 ropani from 1,500 households for constructing another international airport in Pokhara.



But when that land became insufficient for the PRIA construction, the government decided to acquire more land.







The locals, whose lands were acquired by the government in the first phase of acquisition, said the government is trying once again to displace them. They further said they are opposed to CAA preparations for acquiring additional land as their demands are yet to be addressed.



“We have always been treated unjustly by the government,” said Bala Ram Kuwar, chairman of Pokhara Regional International Airport Construction Concerned Committee, “As there is no suitable place in Pokhara, unlike in the past, to shift to after being displaced, we will not provide our land to the government.”



He also said the locals will not provide their land unless their demands for physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, schools and water sourcing are addressed.



“The government had announced the construction of an international airport but preparations are going on for a regional international airport. The government has always disappointed us,” added Kuwar.



Likewise, Bodhraj Karki, secretary of the struggle committee, said that CAA has decided to acquire land without the consent of locals.



Meanwhile, officials at CAA said the additional land was required for building infrastructure such as taxi-way, terminal building and parking area.



An official at CAA, seeking anonymity, said, “The locals´ refusal is not genuine. The government will provide compensation for the acquired land.”

“CAA had issued the notice and the land scrutiny initiated following local consent,” he said, adding, CAA will soon submit a report to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.



According to him, the locals are posing hurdles to get more compensation for the land than unexpected.

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