Assam: MP Sushmita Dev demands status of Greenfield Airport in Cachar

Guwahati, March 29: Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev on Monday has demanded the status of Greenfield Airport slated to be constructed at Daloo tea garden in Cachar district of Assam.

The MP had places two queries before the Minister of Civil Aviation asking the status of site clearance for the airport and the law under government of Assam acquired the land for the project.

Responding to her demands, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation General Dr VK Singh (retd) stated that “in November 2022, Airports Authority of India (AAI), submitted an application under Greenfield Airports Policy (GFA) Policy, 2008 to Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) for grant of 'Site Clearance' for development of Greenfield airport at Doloo, Cachar, Assam. The proposal is under consideration of MoCA in consultation with Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Government of Assam (GOA) as per GFA Policy, 2008.”

It is to be mentioned that the Assam government had cleared swathes of a tea state for the mentioned airport in Cachar district.

The district administration had acquired 325 hectres of land in Doloo uprooting few lakh saplings using almost 150 excavators in May last year.

Meanwhile, the Asom Majuri Shramik Union had filed a writ petition in the Gauhati High Court alleging the land acquisition was done in an illegal manner.

Following which, the High Court had sent notice to nine parties, including the Union as well State governments, Airport Authority, Doloo Tea Estate company, Labour Commissioner and three labour unions, who were the signatories of the MoU with the proprietor of the Tea Estate along with district administration.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in his last visit to Silchar to attend the Cabinet meeting in November last year, visited Doloo tea garden to hand over cheques to the labourers as a ‘goodwill gesture’.