Times
of India: Nagpur: Saturday, 03 October 2015.
The state
cabinet had announced a Rs740 crore additional relief package for Mihan project
affected persons (PAPs) with much fanfare in July 2015. Even though more than
two months have passed, the government is yet to issue a notification in this
regard. The PAPs, who have been denied their due, are now in agitation mode.
Natraj
Pillai, the leader of the Mihan Prakalpgrast Punarvasan Samiti (MPPS), said
that the PAPs had decided to conduct a peaceful agitation. "Rajkumar Pande
will go to Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) office everyday and
present a rose to the officials. He will be accompanied by Suresh Shambharkar
and they will seek information under Right to Information (RTI) Act," he
said adding that it was the job of MADC officials to know the latest status of
the notification.
Pillai
further said that some PAPs were living in dilapidated houses. "The houses
have not been repaired for last 15 years because the PAPs knew that they would
be relocated and the money spent on repairs will not be reimbursed by the
government. If any accident happens, MADC and the government will be
responsible," he said.
The PAP
leader also charged MADC with apathy towards vocational training of PAPs.
"MADC so far has signed agreements with 20 companies and hundreds of
people have been recruited. But, not a single PAP has been given a job,"
he said.
Sanjay Bonde,
a nominated BJP corporator of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), who is a
member of the samiti, said that he had talked to chief minister Devendra
Fadnavis but did not get any information regarding the reasons for pendency of
the notification. "If it comes to that, I will lead the agitation. The
stir will be against the callous government officials. Our party does not stop
us from agitating against the administration for public causes," he said.
Chief
minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the proposal was pending with the finance
ministry. "It will issue the GR very soon," he said without giving
reasons for the delay.
The
government's apathy towards rehabilitation is delaying the Mihan project. The
government was forced to go in for extra compensation as the remaining PAPs
were not ready to relocate until they got satisfactory compensation.