the High Court of Sikkim, The Survey of Agricultural Land At The Villages At Upper Side of The Undergoing Airport Construction Site

As per the direction given by the High Court of Sikkim, the survey of agricultural land at the villages at upper side of the undergoing Airport construction site viz. Upper Dikling, and Karthok will start from 28^th of April 2017 by Pakyong Sub-Divisional Magistrate office and is expected to complete by 5^th of May 2017. The lands in these villages have been damaged and have developed cracked due to which the villagers had to leave their land along with properties. Today Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pakyong called for hearing the affected families at Pakyong Sub-Divisional office and informed about the survey being conducted at their respective places. The survey will be done on their damaged agricultural lands, its annual income, damaged properties and the irreparable and usable lands. There is estimated that nearly 100 acres of agricultural land has been damaged so far.

Total 66 families who were mostly dependent on agricultural, horticulture and dairy farming had vacated their houses since the year 2013 after their land began developing cracks, now  are living in rented houses. The villagers informed that, “our main demands to the state government is to acquire and compensate our land according to Land Acquisition Act 2013 as it is of no use for agricultural purpose. Also we have demanded to give 100 percent solitium of our damaged houses and a job in Pakyong Airports Authority of India after its completion. The next hearing of the case of affected families of airports at High Court of Sikkim is schedule to be held on 13^th June 2017.

One of the affected farmer Mr. Dadi Ram Dhakal informed that ‘I use to feed my 8 members families through rearing two pair of cows which used to give 20 liters of milk per and selling it in local market, but now I live in a rented house, I have to buy milk and curd for my families. I do hope the state government will fulfill our demands and acquire our land soon so that we may shift to another place and do agricultural farming.  Similarly Bishnu Prashad Sharma, Tara Prashad Adhikari and other farmers told similar stories.

At present, the construction of Pakyong Airport is on full swing with its main runway 98 percent completed, and terminal building, fire station and approach road on the verge of completion.