Imphal, May 03 2009: For the families who have complained about loss of homesteads and lack of alternative plots following acquisition of land for Imphal Airport expansion, the State Government has been considering allotment of land at an alternative site, informed an official source.

A total of 641.49 acres spanning over Mongshangei, Ningombam, Kodompokpi, Tulihal, Tuliyaima, Sangaiprou, Meitram, Malom and other villages have been acquired by the Government for expansion of Tulihal Airport.

There have been appeals to the Government from the families who have been left homeless following acquisition of their homesteads for allotment of alternative plots.

Acting on the appeals, relevant Government officials have started considering the matter for alternative land allotment.

In case, these families are given alternative plots, they would be levied minimum premium.

However, a final decision on the matter would be adopted by the Government, conveyed the source.

With larger portions of their homesteads, agricultural land and farms taken over by the Government, many landowners have offered to surrender their land left out from the acquisition process.

As such, the Government would be taking over these left over land pieces, conveyed the source.

Before acquisition of land for expansion of Imphal airport, due notification was issued on September 25 last year under Section IV of the Land Acquisition Act.

As per rules, there should not be any form of construction on areas notified for construction after the notification was issued.

However, it was observed that many were making constructions and digging fish farms after the notification.

As such, no compensation will be sanctioned for the newly constructed buildings and fish farms, disclosed the source.

The newly acquired area of 641.49 acres will be handed over to the Airport Authority of India very soon.

Along with the hand over of land, the State Government has asked the AAI to start fencing work around the enlarged airport complex at the earliest, added the source.

Meanwhile, separate press releases issued by the Ningombam Social Welfare Club and Atom Youth Club have accused the officials involved in recording standing properties and other assets in the process of land acquisition for expansion of Imphal airport of serious anomaly.

The two local clubs informed that only the dwelling houses of the family elders were recorded as standing properties while outhouses, cowsheds, kitchens etc were conspicuously left out.

Standing properties of sons of a father who have established their own families and live separately have also been left out of the survey.

Saying that there was no uniformity and people's consent in the survey conducted on May 1 and 2, the local clubs demanded another survey that would be uniform and take into account all standing properties.

A public meeting held on the matter today at Ningombam Awang Leikai has resolved to appeal for a re-survey which would take into account assets of all households they may be established plots having a single dag number.

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