PERNEM
After locals in Melauli forced the government to scrap the IIT project in their village, another ongoing project is set to encounter opposition as locals of Varkhand on Sunday resolved to oppose the road to the Mopa airport project.
At a special gram sabha convened by the Varkhand panchayat at Tulaskarwadi-Mopa, locals passed a resolution opposing the road widening work leading to the Mopa airport.
They have also demanded that the airport should be set up within 20-30 lakh sq mtrs of land and the remaining land acquired for the airport project be returned to the locals.
A resolution was also passed to seek compensation for the trees felled for the project.
Speaking at the gram sabha, a local, Shyamsundar Mayekar, said farming and plantations have been their only source of income.
“We don't want government jobs neither do we need more money. We want our land back,” said Mayekar.
Another resident, Narayan Tulaskar, warned that if the government were to go ahead and build the road, the bulldozers would have to first run over them.
Some residents confronted the panchayat members and claimed that if the Tillari water was specifically for agriculture and cultivations, how was that water used for the Mopa airport project.
Locals feared that malls, hotels and other commercial centres would be set up around the Mopa airport project, which would change the face of the village.
Sarpanch Sanjay Tulaskar said all their concerns would be forwarded to the State government, while adding that the panchayat would continue to engage with the locals to deliberate on these issues.
