The Sarpang district administration has started acquiring land for extension of the Gelephu Domestic Airport. The office has already allotted land replacement for 142 landowners whose land falls under the extension project. For the remaining 17 landowners, a consultation meeting was held yesterday but only two individuals turned up.
For the extension project, land belonging to 159 private individuals in Samtenling Gewog will be pooled. During a series of consultation meetings, the landowners were given the option to either choose a land replacement or a compensation amount.
Substitute lands were given to the individuals concerned through a lucky dip. However, with only two out of the 17 remaining landowners showing up at the meeting yesterday, the land replacement and compensation process has yet to be completed. The district administration said this is despite the office announcing the need for landowners to participate in the meeting.
“The Gewog Administration should get in touch with all the 15 absentees, individually. If at all, you are unable to get their phone numbers or if the telecom refuses to share their contacts, you should let us know and we will write to the telecom. That is the first step. The next step is to write to the land commission and ask for a way forward,” said Lobzang Dorji, Sarpang Dzongda.
Meanwhile, the district’s land registrar said 11 private landowners who received land substitutes have submitted appeal letters to the Dzongkhag Acquisition and Substitute Land Allotment Committee expressing dissatisfaction. However, the committee decided not to entertain any appeal case as the land substitution process was done fairly in close consultation with landowners.
The extended Gelephu Domestic Airport will cover more than 750 acres of land. The airport’s current size is over 520 acres. Gelephu Domestic Airport was opened in 2012.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Kipchu
