Guwahati, March 17: Gauhati High Court has asked the Arunachal Pradesh government and Airports Authority of India to ensure that land acquisition laws are followed for construction of the state’s first airport at Hollongi.

The recent court directive came in its judgment on a public interest litigation filed by Taniang Kipa, an activist in Banderdewa, who not only opposed shifting of the greenfield airport from Banderdewa to Hollongi but also alleged anomalies in the land acquisition process.

“It shall be the duty of the state to ensure that all factual inquiries as are necessary under the provision of the land acquisition laws and other related state laws in relation to the land in question at Hollongi be undertaken strictly in accordance with law and after verifying and making inquiries necessary, proceed with the construction of the airport,” Chief Justice A.M. Sapre and Justice A.K. Goswami said in their judgement on March 12.

The court, however, disposed of the PIL complaining that the plot of the land for the airport was shifted from Banderdewa to Hollongi to benefit the “people in power” as the petitioner could not furnish sufficient documents to prove the allegation.

The greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh was sanctioned by the Centre in 2007 and the foundation stone was laid by the then Union home minister Shivraj Patil. In 2012, the site selected for the airport was, however, shifted from Banderdewa to Hollongi citing technical reasons and convenience. The PIL also alleged that the list of beneficiaries in land acquisition in Hollongi included names of politicians and their family members and land was acquired in violation of land acquisition laws. So far Rs 279 crore has been estimated for compensation to 409 people whose lands have been acquired for construction of a greenfield airport.

The petitioner, Taniang Kipa, president of Banderdewa Circle Intellectual Forum, an NGO, today urged the Arunachal Pradesh government to comply with the court directive on land acquisition laws. “We urge both the Centre as well as the state government to complete the greenfield airport within four years. Arunachal being a hilly state, we require an airport to improve communication but the government is taking long to complete the project,” Kipa said here at a news conference.