Pokhara, April 6

Pokhara residents, whose lands have been appropriated for the construction of Pokhara International Airport, are still awaiting compensation at a time when the date for the airport’s foundation stone laying ceremony is drawing close.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to lay the airport’s foundation stone on April 13, which falls on New Year day as per the lunar calendar.

The land owners talked about their plight regarding compensation during an interaction organised by the Airport Construction High-level Support Committee in Pokhara today to inform about the ongoing preparations for the foundation stone laying ceremony.

On the occasion, the concerned land owners of Pokhara’s Chauthe and Chhinedanda rued the delay by the concerned authorities in paying compensation for around 70 ropani land that was requisitioned for the airport construction long ago.

Bodhraj Karki said he was yet to receive compensation for three ropani land.

Similarly, Bhimsen Thapa accused the concerned authority of reneging on its promise to arrange land elsewhere in return of the requisitioned land.

Meanwhile, officials at the Civil Aviation Authority said they had failed to provide compensation simply because the land owners were out of contact.

A total of 3,735 ropani land has been requisitioned for the international airport in Chauthe and Chhinedanda. CAMC Engineering will build the airport.