Navi Mumbai airport PAPs attempt ‘jal samadhi’, threaten work stoppage

Several persons, holding placards with demands, jumped into the creek in the area, threatening to give up their lives. They were pulled out by the policemen, present in large numbers, to prevent any untoward incident

NAVI MUMBAI: The Project Affected Persons (PAP) of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) held a ‘Jal Samadhi’ protest on Friday, also threatening to stop work at the airport if their long-pending demands are not met.

Navi Mumbai, India - July 12, 2024:Navi Mumbai airport PAPs resort to `Jal SamadhiÕ protest, threaten work stoppage - Demand jobs, work, compensation at Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, India, on Friday, July 12, 2024. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

The protest was organised at Owle Phata on Uran-Panvel road by Loknete D B Patil 27 Gaon Prakalpbadhit Kruti Samiti, an action committee of the NMIA PAPs. Several PAPs, holding placards with demands, jumped into the creek in the area, threatening to give up their lives. They were pulled out by the policemen, present in large numbers, to prevent any untoward incident.

Nandraj Mungaji, committee convenor, said “For years, we have been placing our demand, but CIDCO has only been giving assurances, with little action. Hence, we decided to sacrifice our lives by taking jal samadhi today to rouse the administration from sleep.”

Their demands include the naming of the airport after the late leader, D B Patil, jobs, and work for the sons of the soil of the region.

“Our land was acquired 11 years back, yet there are PAPs who haven’t got the developed land promised as compensation. Land filling of water bodies and blasting of hills for leveling have damaged our houses, affecting several villages, including Owle, Dapoli, Pargaon, Dungi and Bhangarpada. The landfilling has also led to flooding of our villages and several houses go under 7ft-feet water every monsoon,” said Mungaji.

He further said that CIDCO officials have given them in writing that they will hold a meeting with them on July 30 to resolve the issue. “Hence, we have decided to suspend our agitation for now. If CIDCO fails to resolve the issues raised by us, we will bring all airport work to a halt. The PAPs, who have sacrificed their land and livelihood for the project, cannot be taken for granted.”

When contacted, a CIDCO official said, “A meeting with PAP leaders was held on Thursday. We gave a copy of the minutes to the protestors and assured a follow-up meeting on July 30.”