Vayudoot Sewa’, the proposed airstrip project in Bijapur and Dantewada districts of restive Bastar region is hanging fire for the past three years with more hurdles ahead, as half of the land selected for the project comes in the ‘buffer zone’ of the Indrawati Tiger Reserve.
The project will now require clearance from the Union Forest and Environment Ministry as well as from the Wildlife Authority of India. In addition, the project might also face resistance from people in relocating them from the land.
The project worth Rs21.11 crore was to be developed on 87 hectares of land in Bijapur and Dantewada districts by the State Civil Aviation department in 2011. However, pending clearance from the Forest department, it has delayed the project. Out of the total land required for the project, about 43 hectares of land needs clearance from Forest department. In the recent survey conducted by Forest department, the land for proposed airstrip comes in the buffer zone of Indrawati Tiger Reserve.
The Forest department has issued notification about area of Tiger Reserve and sent the proposal to the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment ten days ago. This will make the process complicated as clearance will be required from the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment as well as from Wildlife Authority of India.
The airstrip was proposed with the objective of developing an airbase and to facilitate in keeping an aerial watch on the activities of insurgents in the area. In addition to this, the airstrip will also facilitate the forces in operations against left wing insurgents besides providing help to their men in time of emergency. Apart from 43 hectares of forest land, the project will need 44 hectares of land including 24 hectares of revenue land and 20 hectares of private land.
Bijapur District Collector Kaiser Abdul Haq said that a proposal has been sent to the State government regarding clearance from Forest department. “As far as buffer zone is concerned, the State government has to take initiative to get clearance for this.”
Dantewada District Collector KC Devsenapati said that Forest department is conducting survey of the land for the proposed airstrip and thereafter a proposal will be sent for clearance of forest land coming in the project. land of farmers is also coming under the project and they will be provided alternate land. This process will take about three months, added Devsenapati.