People displaced by airport in Hubballi seek rehabilitation, alternative sites

The Association of the Hubballi Airport Displaced People has urged the State government to take the requisite measures to provide alternative sites to those who lost their residential sites to airport expansion and also to Akrama-Sakrama site holders.

Addressing a press conference in Hubballi on Wednesday, president of the association Raghottam Kulkarni said that their demand is that the State government should immediately take steps to rectify the injustice being done to those who parted with their sites for facilitating airport expansion plans.

Mr. Kulkarni said that despite a High Court direction, the Hubballi Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) has not acted in accordance with it. It has failed to allot alternative sites to the affected people, he added.

To a query, Mr. Kulkarni said that when they repeatedly approached the HDUDA authorities on the issue, the authorities gave lame excuses.

“They have been saying that they have sought permission from the State government and are awaiting approval. In all, 529 sites were acquired for airport expansion and when the notification was issued for allotment of alternative sites by HDUDA, 163 people applied. However, only 70 were given alternative sites and the remaining 93 are yet to be given alternative sites even after so many years after land acquisition,” he said.

Vice-president of the association S.A. Jahagirdar and other office-bearers I.B. Chadihal, M.G. Raikar and others said that they will be forced to launch an indefinite agitation in the coming days if the government fails to provide justice to them.

Mr. Kulkarni said that as the authorities have failed to provide alternative sites as per the direction of the High Court of Karnataka, they have also filed a contempt petition in the issue.