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RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, May 31: Hethu villagers held a section of people hostage who had entered their village terming the former ‘encroachers’ and asked them to leave their land for Birsa Munda Airport expansion within 24 hours.
The development took place in Hethu village adjacent to the airport under Namkum circle of Ranchi.
A local resident informed this correspondent sharing a video. He said those who had turned up for the announcement claimed themselves as Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials and said they are taking action on the direction of the Ranchi deputy commissioner.
“The action angered the villagers as the step was in violation of the Jharkhand High Court order given on April 24 in this matter. The high court had directed the Namkum circle officer to conclude the proceedings initiated after issuance of an encroachment notice on December 7 last year to the villagers having their land in the periphery of the Birsa Munda Airport. A single bench of Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary gave the direction on April 24 after a section of villagers knocked the high court door getting demolition threat from the district administration intended to handover the land to the Airport Authority of India for the expansion of the Birsa Munda Airport. Though the proceeding is yet to be concluded, the authorities took up the step to displace us,” the villager said.
“It is wrong on the part of the district administration to give demolition threat without concluding the proceedings initiated after issuing an encroachment notice. Terming landowners as encroachers is wrong,” the villager said.
Contacted Ranchi deputy commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha for his comment on the matter, he expressed his ignorance about the high court direction. When provided the copy, he suggested talking on the matter to Namkum CO Vinod Prajapati. When asked he did not take a call, he insisted to talking once, sharing his number through Whatsapp. CO Prajapati took call in third attempt and disconnected the call saying he was ‘busy in law and order duty.’
The high court before giving direction to the CO for conclusion of proceedings also directed the petitioners to approach the CO by filing a separate representation annexing therewith a receipt copy of the reply with supporting documents said to have been already filed.
“Upon their (villagers) appearance, the respondent no. 4 (Namkum CO) is directed to consider the respective reply already filed by each of the petitioners and pass appropriate speaking order with respect to each petitioner in accordance with law within a period of one week from 26.04.2023 after granting an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners or their authorized representative. The parties are directed to cooperate with the proceedings. The reasoned order be communicated to the petitioners through e-mail as well as through speed-post at the e-mail id and address to be provided by each petitioner in the representation to be filed along with the net copy of this order. Upon passing of the reasoned order, the Circle officer shall proceed in accordance with law,” the high court order read.