Uttara Kannada initiates Airport project

Karwar, Sept 02: The work for the airport in Karwar has gained momentum with the Uttara Kannada district administration approving the preliminary land acquisition notification.

The state government is joining hands with the Indian Navy to start an airport at Ankola in Uttara Kannada district.

The government proposes to acquire 93-29-05 acres of land for the project. (69-21-02 acres in Alageri, 20-35-15 acres in Belikeri, and 03-12-04 acres in Bhavikeri village).

Construction of naval air station is one of the major highlights of the second phase. However, instead of restricting it only to Navy purposes, there was a move to open it to civilian flights also.

The Navy already has all the land it needs for the second phase including the land for the construction of 2,000 meters runway which is adequate for its purpose.

However, there is a need of acquiring land for an additional 1,000 Meters runway (for civilian airlines) and construction of a civilian terminal. The state government had identified land at Ankola, to the south of the Sea Bird project.

The state cabinet had recently given its nod for the airport project. On Tuesday the Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada Dr Harish Kumar K issued an order approving the preliminary land acquisition notification.

The government proposes to acquire 93-29-05 acres of land for the project in Alageri, Belikeri, and Bhavikeri villages. (69-21-02 acres in Alageri, 20-35-15 acres in Belikeri, and 03-12-04 acres in Bhavikeri village).

First land acquisition under the new act:
Land acquisition is nothing new for the people of Uttara Kannada. They have lost their land for power projects and Naval base. For decades the land losers fought to get the compensation for the land they lost for the Sea Bird project. They also had to knock the doors of the court.

But this time there is come change. The land acquisition is being done under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act-2013.

The government had declared this to be a people-friendly act that provides even rehabilitation and resettlement.

However as they had burnt their fingers several times, people are skeptical about the land acquisition process.

Though there is a need for social impact assessment, the project has got an exemption.
Meanwhile, as the land is less than 100 acres, if all the landowners agree, the Deputy Commissioner of the District has the power to directly purchase the land from the landowners for the project.