HC notice to AP govt on land pooling for airport

Justice A Sesha Sai of the High Court at Hyderabad on Thursday ordered notice to the state government (Andhra Pradesh) in a writ petition on the question of land pooling for an international airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district. The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed in the vacation court by K. Satyanarayana Raju and 81 other farmers of Bhogapuram mandal.

The petitioners questioned the land pooling scheme of acquiring land for Greenfield International Airport at Bhogapuram. The petitioners complained that the action of the government in issuing an order for land pooling was contrary to Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

The petitioners pointed out to the court that when the Central Government had proposed expansion of Naval Alternative Operations Base (NAOB) at Rambilli village of the mandal and initiated steps for the land acquisition and when the petitioners approached the court, it had granted status quo. The judge observed that the status quo was still in place and refused to pass interim orders in the matter. While ordering notice to the authorities, the judge adjourned the matter.