DOTI, JANUARY 27
A seven-point understanding has been reached to upgrade the Kailali-based Geta airport to regional level.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale, Airport Chief Ram Krishna Bhatta and Geta Airport Construction and Settlement Management Coordination Committee Coordinator Lokraj Bhatta reached a seven-point understanding for finalising the land acquisition process.
Among the charters of understanding were assuring resources for land acquisition and airport upgradation within the fiscal year 2021-22, distribution of compensation to affected people within two years, guaranteeing participation of concerned families, tole development committee and coordination during land acquisition, and determining compensation for the land as per the market price.
Geta airport chief Bhatta informed that the team reached understanding on not creating any obstruction to the use of the land until the completion of compensation distribution, acquire the land as per the prevailing land acquisition law, resettlement and rehabilitation policy of Nepal and to take into confidence the tole development committee, coordination committee and settlement of people without disruption in the upgradation of the airport.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal had allocated Rs 1.15 billion budget for the upgradation of the airport, including land acquisition.
The survey has advanced with the endorsement of a masterplan to acquire 258.25 bigha land for upgrading the existing airport to the regional level. A technical team of the contractor company hired for airport upgradation work has initiated aerial survey with the use of drone.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 28, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.