AGITATION

Locals' agitation affects construction of Airport boundary

 

COOCH BEHAR, Oct. 16: Agitated locals whose lands were acquired for expansion of the runway of the Cooch Behar Airport in its northern side started an indefinite sit-in from today. Earlier they halted the construction of the boundary wall of the airport since 3 October.

 

The affected locals formed a body named Chakchaka Anchal Bhumiraksha Nagarik Committee to carry on the agitation. District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta said they are supporting the CABNC's movement on humanitarian ground.

 

Mr Dutta said 29-acre land on the north of Cooch Behar Airport and on the northern bank of Mara-Torsa river was acquired for widening of the airport by which about 150 dwellings were affected. After the acquisition the local residents are not getting passage for movement and power supply in that area was also withdrawn. They are also deprived of piped water supply. In a bid to come out of the situation the local residents already halted the construction work of the boundary wall since 3 October, Mr Dutta said.

 

Today, a team of Trinamul Congress leaders visited the area and expressed their support to the agitated locals. They will meet the district magistrate soon to seek his intervention into the tangle, Mr Dutta said.

 

On the otherhand, the officials of the Airport Authority of India in Cooch Behar too reported the matter to the district magistrate. []