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Panvel, Uran MLAs accuse MVA of sham protests over NAINA
The protest against the NAINA project in Panvel has taken a political turn, with BJP leaders accusing MVA leaders of misleading the villagers. The BJP plans to hold a public meeting to discuss the benefits of the project and expose vested interests. The NAINA project aims to develop infrastructure in 174 villages around the Navi Mumbai airport. The scheme proposes land pooling by villagers, with 60% going to CIDCO for development and 40% to affected villagers. Farmers' groups have staged protests demanding cancellation of the scheme. The protesting villagers recently began an indefinite fast.
PANVEL
The renewed protest against NAINA in Panvel region has now acquired a major political twist with the BJP Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur and Uran independent BJP supporting MLA Mahesh Baldi accusing MVA leaders of sham protests to mislead the villagers for their vested interests and questioning the genuineness of the indefinite protest fast underway.
The BJP has for the first time planned a public meeting to create awareness on the benefits of the scheme, discuss the demands related to it and expose the vested interests.
The state government’s Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project comprises 174 villages located within 25 km radius of the Navi Mumbai airport and is spread over 371 sq km.
The scheme proposes land pooling by villagers wherein CIDCO, the Special Planning Authority for the project, gets to keep 60% of the land for infrastructure development and the PAPs get the remaining 40% with 2.5 FSI. CIDCO does not have to pay any monetary compensation to the villagers.
Planned 10 years back, NAINA has faced opposition from a section of villagers over the years who have opposed land pooling sans any compensation. Farmers’ body NAINA Prakalp Badhit Shetkari Utkarsh Samiti, which includes several MVA leaders, has staged several protests demanding cancellation of NAINA scheme and inclusion of the region under the new UDCPR..
Last Wednesday, an indefinite fast protest was initiated by villagers in Turmale village of Panvel with slogans of `Shetkari Bachao NAINA hatao’. They also resorted to a rasta roko on Mumbai-Goa highway for a few minutes on Monday.
Speaking on the issue, Thakur, who along with Baldi held a meeting of BJP office bearers to discuss the issue said, “We believe NAINA will transform Panvel region into a well planned city and provide excellent opportunities to the villagers. If NAINA is withdrawn, it will lead to rampant unauthorized construction here.”
Questioning the protests, Thakur asked, “Why didn’t these MVA leaders protest during the 2 ½ years that their government was in power? Now they are resorting to tamashas organizing various protests all over with bike rallies, going to Mumbai etc. when actually they have little support for it. They have had to organize wrestling and cricket tournaments to get people to protest fast.”
He added, “There has never been a demand to cancel the scheme as is being made now. In fact these MVA leaders still do not talk about it during their meetings with CIDCO.”
Explaining his position, Thakur said, “We are stating that not one existing house of the villager should be touched for the implementation of the scheme. Secondly the existing villages should get the same infrastructure development and facilities that the new townships will get.”
Informed Thakur, “At our public meeting in Panvel at Phadke auditorium, we shall explain how the scheme will benefit the people and the region and expose the vested interests. The opposition leaders either want to contest the ZP elections or want to save their party that is in doldrums with their leader in jail over bank fraud.”
Alleged Baldi, “The fast protest is a sham. They eat in the morning and go and sit for the fast for a couple of hours and then leave. If they are serious they should be sitting there all day fasting.”
Stated Baldi, “A lot of things can be resolved through discussions and we have done it without agitation in the past. This is a political agitation to defame BJP by the MVA parties. They do not even have people to speak to the officials.”
Reacting to the allegations, former PWP MLC Balaram Patil said, “Based on the statements of both the MLAs, it becomes difficult to gauge if they represent people’s interest or are working against them.”
Said Anil Dhavle, who is leading the fasting protesters,“Instead of supporting us, both the MLAs are making fun of our protest. This is an insult of the common villagers. They have no right to speak on the issue.
He declared, “We are not going to give up. Even if we lose our lives, our funeral should be conducted here itself.”
Box
Meeting with CIDCO fails
A delegation of the protesting PAPs held a meeting with CIDCO vice chairman and managing director Anil Diggikar on Wednesday to present their demands. According to the PAPs Diggikar stated that these are policy decisions and so he will discuss them with the urban development secretary and then state CIDCO stand on it.
The PAPs have decided to continue with the protest fast stating that the meeting did not yield the desired result.
When contacted, CIDCO public relations officer Priya Ratambe said, “CIDCO is positive towards landowners. The issues will be sorted after examining the matters.”
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