PM to lay foundation stone of airport in Feb

HOLLONGI, Jan 16: Land Management Minister Nabam Rebia informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the green field airport here on 8 February.
He informed this on Tuesday evening while addressing the second Inter-State Cultural Exchange Festival-2019 here at the football ground of the government middle school amidst huge gathering.
Rebia said with construction of the green field airport, Hollongi will find its name in the international map and the area is going to witness massive development.
He appealed to the locals to not be misguided by vested interest people over the report submitted by a committee headed by him.
The landowners of Hollongi had recently alleged that the Rebia-led committee, constituted by the state government last year to settle the land dispute at airport site submitted a report declaring the indigenous landowners of Hollongi and Kokila as occupiers of government land.
“Nowhere in the report has it been written that the land in question belongs to the government, but it was only presumed. I appeal to the people to properly read the report. As the land belongs to indigenous local population, the government is going to pay compensation to the affected families to acquire land for construction of green field airport at Hollongi. The government has fixed rate of land compensation at Rs 507 per square metre,” said Rebia.
However, he added that if anyone has any concern, the state government is still ready to address them so that construction of airport starts at the earliest.
He alleged that some people are creating unnecessary hurdles in construction of the airport for their personal agenda.
Rebia also informed on the occasion that the Rajghar Ali road which is the lifeline for the people of Assam and Arunachal living along the boundary will see massive improvement in months to come.
He said the inter-state cultural exchange festival will also help improve the ties between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
“Displaying of tradition and culture by the people from both states is a reflection of unity in diversity,” Rebia added.
Attending the event, Gohpur (Assam) MLA Utpal Borah said that the programme is a big platform for the people of both the states to exchange their culture and tradition.
Several senior local political and social workers of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam were present on the occasion. Cultural performances were displayed by different communities of both sides of the boundary.