Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 8: People from various adjoining areas of the Srinagar Airport today staged a protest, seeking land against their land which is in use of the airport and the Indian Air Force, and not compensation.
Scores of people from these areas which include Naaru, Ichgam and Gudsuth appeared in Pratap Park, Press Enclave and raised slogans in favour of their demands.
“The land falls at what is known as Karewa Damdor; these is a total of 168 kanals of land which is under the Indian Air Force and the Srinagar Airport since 1947 and what was being provided to the elders was peanuts and even today, we are getting Rs 155/- per Kanal from them,” said Ghulam Nabi Bhat one of the protestors.
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The residents said that some of the Government lands, which were under the lease, have been directed to be returned, however, they said, their land which is under the use of the Indian Air Force and the Airport is not being even accounted for.
“We have been writing to the concerned authorities in this regard, but we have not received any response from them; it is a joke that we are given a meagre Rs 155 per month and that too we get after a delay of several months,” they said.
The protestors said that the meagre Rs 155/- which they get is also released after 6-7 months and in getting the amount released, they have to spend money out of their pocket.
“The land is now under use and it is for sure that we will not get it back, neither are we happy with what we are being given per month; we demand that we should be given land against the land; we do not want any compensation at all,” the land owners said.
The residents urged the Government of India as well as the LG Manoj Sinha to look into the matter and sort it out once and for all. “If they can cancel land leases, and ask the people to vacate, why can’t we get land against our land which is lying with the Indian Air Force,” the residents asked.