Project Affected People (PAPs) from 27 villages have formed a new front demanding the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) to be named after socialist leader late D B Patil. They have also threatened to stop the ongoing airport work from January 24 if PAPs are not rehabilitated immediately.
The All-Party Action Committee has already been demanding to name the proposed airport after Patil, now 27 Villages PAP Kruti Samiti have also joined them.
Nandraj Mungaji, president of 27 Villages PAP Kruti Samiti said that they would stop the airport work from January 24 if their demand is not accepted. “The hill-cutting and filling work is going on, but the rehabilitation of affected villagers has not been completed,” said Mungaji. He added that around 15000 villagers will assemble to observe the birth anniversary of late D B Patil.
Villagers alleged that due to the ongoing filling works at the airport site, the water accumulation during monsoon and the high tide has risen. Mungaji said that Pargon, Dungi, Dapoli, Owale, and Bhangardpada villages face water logging during the monsoon. “Water enters in their homes during monsoon and high tide. The height of the airport site will be increased 3 meters more from the present status. Imagine what would be the situation of low-lying villages,” said Mungaji, adding that they incur a huge loss of food grains and household furniture.
The PAPs committee alleged that all the affected villagers have not received the compensation. “We will make a big decision on January 13 and accordingly, the airport work will be stopped,” said Mungaji.
Last year in June, more than 18,000 villagers had assembled in Belapur and staged protests without police permission. Even the police had filed cases against them. On August 9, villagers in the different groups had taken out Mashal March (torch march) in 27 villages in Navi Mumbai to put pressure on the state government to name the proposed NMIA after late D B Patil. They also threatened to stop the ongoing airport work from August 16 if the state government does not accept their demand. However, they later decided to hold the protest after the union aviation minister assured them to listen to their demand.
