Navi Mumbai: Villagers oppose NAINA project, demands adequate rehabilitation package

Resentment among villagers is growing regarding the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project as they are demanding an adequate rehabilitation package. Villagers are demanding that they should be rehabilitated at the same villager from their lands are acquired by builders and CIDCO for the NIANA project.

NAINA is a proposed planning area in the Raigad district, and CIDCO is the planning authority for the same. It compromises 173 villages and as a pilot project, CIDCO is developing 23 villages right now. It is
Villagers under the banner of Naina Project Affected Farmers Utkarsh Samiti (NPAFUS) held a meeting in Panvel taluka and decided to intensify their demand. MLA Jayant Patil, and MLA Balaram Patil were present during the meeting.
Vaman Shelke, a member of NPAFUS says that as per the sanctioned draft scheme of NAINA, every landowner included in the scheme shall get a net of 40% of developed land. However, farmers are opposing this. “There is a high development and betterment charges in NAINA. The scheme is not beneficial for villagers and they are opposing it,” said Shelke. According to villagers, the betterment charge is around Rs 3.5 lakh for one Guntha or 1090 sq feet development. “If the villagers get 10 Guntha developed land after surrendering 25 Guntha land, he will have to pay Rs 35 lakh for betterment charge,” said Shelke.

In addition, villagers demand that the rehabilitation of displaced villagers should be provided in the same villager where they are residing. “Why do we leave our own village and go to another place,” said another villager.

Under the NAINA scheme, the CIDCO will provide all infrastructures and the owner needs not have to provide amenities and open spaces. Even, CIDCO has promised to make houses for the economically weaker section.