Public hearing for greenfield airport in Assam's Silchar over: Himanta

Silchar (Assam), Jun 23 (PTI) Assam Chief Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said a public hearing has been completed at Cachar district's Doloo Tea Estate, where the government has decided to acquire land for setting up a greenfield airport.

Although Sarma did not share details of the outcome of the hearing, representatives of tea garden workers opposed development of the ambitious project at Doloo and demanded that the government shift it to another location.

"A Major Step Forward. The public hearing for the Greenfield Dolu (sic) Airport project in Cachar district concluded peacefully today - a significant milestone in our journey to transform Barak Valley into a hub of connectivity and development," Sarma said.

He said that the government is now one step closer to realising the "grand vision" for the region.

"Gratitude to all stakeholders for their cooperation and support," the CM said.

The Assam government had proposed a new airport in Silchar spread over 2,500 bighas (826.45 acres) of land as the existing one at Kumbhirgram is a defence airport and expansion of the facility to accommodate the increasing demands of air traffic is not possible.

The workers, under the aegis of Asom Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU), have expressed unhappiness over the development and demanded that the government return the already acquired land or allot the same area of land at a different place for growing tea.

Several trade unions like AMSU, CITU, NTUI, INTUC and BMS attended the public hearing, which took place at the Office of Cachar District Commissioner in Silchar.

When contacted to know about the public hearing, Arindam Deb and Biswajit Das of AMSU said the workers are against the destruction of 2,500 bighas of land, with 30 lakh tea plants along with thousands of big trees.

Deb said, "The life and livelihood of tea workers, the environment and the tea industry will be affected. Why is the government not considering other places like Kharil. Why are they insisting on Doloo?" The workers are also demanding social and environmental audits by appropriate authorities, especially by central expert agencies, Das said.

"We have not been given any blueprint on how the workers will be rehabilitated. Casual workers must be given permanent status prior to any land demarcation or transfer. Otherwise, their jobs are not assured," he added.

Deb claimed that the proposed airport will create very little employment and Doloo workers' families will not be able to qualify for the skilled jobs required at the airport, but thousands of workers will lose their livelihood due to reduction of the plantation area of the tea estate.

The local unit of the Left-backed trade union CITU opposed the agreement signed by Doloo Tea Company Pvt Ltd to facilitate development of the airport.

"CITU representatives present in the meeting said that few clauses in the agreement should have been excluded and many other clauses should have been included. As this is CITU's revised position, it is tantamount to rejection of the agreement," an official of Cachar district administration said.

In November 2022, the Assam government had distributed financial assistance to 1,296 families living at Doloo Tea Estate "as a goodwill gesture".

Earlier in 2022, a controversy had arisen over the Assam government's efforts to acquire land for setting up a greenfield airport with the then Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia claiming that no such proposal was received for the facility from the state.

However, it was established later that the state was acquiring 2,500 bighas (826.45 acres) of land in Cachar district at the request of the central PSU Airports Authority of India.

The land acquisition of Doloo Tea Estate for the airport prompted the workers to protest. The government assured them that no worker would be evicted from their homes and there would be no job loss.

The state government had previously announced a compensation of Rs 50 crore for the acquisition of land at Doloo, Lalbagh, and Mainagarh tea gardens for establishing the greenfield airport. PTI TR COR TR NN