Shifting villagers a challenge
Getting 3,500 families from 10 villages to part with their land for the airport has been a daunting task for Cidco. Villagers who parted with land in previous acquisitions have had bad experiences with the agency’s functioning. Breaking the ice was crucial, as 671 hectares of the 2,268 ha required for the project is being acquired from village residents.
Cidco has reached out to the locals in many ways. In 2013, former joint managing director V Radha had attended a haldi kumkum event (a social gathering among Maharashtrian women) to strike a rapport. Other initiatives include helping local fisherwomen to sell their catch to housing colonies in the adjoining townships and training programmes for local youth. By 2014, resistance had abated and villagers began giving consent.
“For the purpose of acquisition, Cidco relied on Google Images and National Remote Sensing Centre data, to give us accurate information on the number of houses,” said an official.
However, some houses were apparently not captured by the data, being hidden under tree cover. Villagers claim such houses were excluded from the rehabilitation package and are demanding their inclusion. “We will not allow work on the site until we get assurances for our demands,” says Rupesh Mohite, a resident of Targhar village. This includes giving land lots to those who were earlier considered ineligible. Other demands include transit accommodation close to their villages and increasing the allowance Cidco will pay for constructing new homes on allotted lots. Last month, Cidco relaxed some of its conditions for rehabilitation, owing to the villager pressure.
Some complaints remain. “Cidco should begin work on amenities such as water and electricity connections before villages take possession of the (allotted) plots. Two villages are close to the hillock and residents will shift only if proper infrastructure arrangements are made for them on the allocated plots,” said Natha Patil, president of the Sangharsh Samiti representing those affected.