Kargi: Indian Air Force needs 18000 kanals of land to setup airbase

Anayat Ali

Kargil: To make airbase in Kargil at Kurbathang, Indian Air Force needs 18000 kanal of land and to provide this land the District Administration called a meeting of Hill Council Kargil and various religious and political bodies of Kargil under the Chairmanship of the Minister for CA&PD and Transport Qamar Ali Akhoon. The Sarpanches, Panches and Namberdar of the affected villages also participated in the meeting. It was informed that, Out of the 18000 kanal lands 2000 kanal will be required for construction of the Air Strip only and rest of the land will be used for Infrastructure development.

All the representatives unitedly consented that for the construction of air strip 2000 kanal of land has bee allotted but there should be some alternate plan for those affected by this project. During the meeting it was decided that the Firing Range and lower plateau has been evacuated for the purpose of the project.

Mr Akhoon said that the Government is not in a favour of imposing any decision on the public and what ever decision taken will be done by the consent of the public and the villagers of the affected villages. He also advised for making arrangements and conditions for quota in Air force services for the civilians, employment for the unemployed youths and rehabilitation for the affected villagers. The minister also advised the villagers of Choskore for making action committee on the patterns of Pashkum village so that appropriate action and decision can be taken during the process of the project.

During the meeting the Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC Kargil Kacho Ahmad Ali Khan said that his Council is finding every possible way to keep the irrigated and fertile land of the farmers out of the reach of the project but if some required it has to be provided as the Airport will be helpful for the public Kargil.

In this meeting others present were the Executive Councilor Haji Ghulam Amir Kamran, Syed Kazim Sabere and Punchok Tashi, MLA Zanskar Feroz Ahmad Khan, Deputy Commissioner Kargil M Raju, and prominent leaders of various religious and political parties of Kargil.

There will be a meeting of the District Administration and the Air Force Authority on 25th of May 2012 in this connection.