purandar news

Pune: Land acquisition for the proposed Rs 3,500-crore Purandar International Airport showed early signs of becoming a complex process for the state govt after officials said they received more than 3,000 objections from farmers in seven villages that are set to lose land to the project.Hearings began this week to negotiate land rates and other compensation details with farmers, but many said they were not willing to part with their land. Others who are willing to sell have demanded Rs 10 crore per acre and the return of 15% of acquired land as developed plots, within the airport complex.It's the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation that's spearheading the acquisition of 2,832 hectares that will be needed for the greenfield airport project, which spans the villages of Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, Ekhatpur, Munjawadi, Kumbharvalan, Pargaon and Khanwadi — all in Purandar taluka.During a compensation hearing organised by state officials on Tuesday, anger was palpable among the protesting farmers. "We do not want construction here," said Jitendra Memane, a farmer from Pargaon. "We will continue our protests. They had first identified another location. They can build there," he said.

Officials TOI spoke to said they would need at least 10 days to review the total of 3,022 objections that had come in from the seven villages.