2 days Ago By Joy Sengupta
Pune: Sunday's Gudi Padwa was sombre and low-key in Pargaon Memane village in Purandar taluka. After hoisting the gudi, the residents arrived for a meeting to take some decisions about their land that govt is trying to acquire for an airport. Landowners here decided that there would be no grand celebrations for the upcoming Ram Navami festival on April 6 that they have been holding as a tradition for decades with fanfare.
The village is among the seven affected by the new Pune airport project in Purandar. The wheels to roll out this massive project are underway at least on paper. B S Memane, a landowner and resident of the village, told TOI, "Each year, during Ram Navami, we hold a yatra for three days and many events are conducted.
Apart from the puja in the temple, there is a dhol-tasha competition, theatrical performances, dramas and plays, and a wrestling competition. We decided not to host any of these events this time. The money will be used to finance our protests.
" Pargaon Memane is set to lose the maximum land in the state's acquisition process. Of a total of 2,832 hectares needed for the project that is expected to be ready by 2029, govt will acquire around 1,037 hectares from this village. The land belonging to six other villages Vanpuri, Udachiwadi, Ekhatpur, Khanavdi, Munjewadi, and Kumbharvalan, will also be acquired.
A drone survey to map this exercise will begin on April 9. "We have been celebrating Ram Navami in a grand manner for years now. Gudi Padwa celebrations in our village were low-key as people are not happy.
They are afraid and confused. A huge protest has been planned on April 9 in our village when the drone survey begins. Our sugar cane crop has just been cut, and we are planning to till our land for the next crop season.
Hence, our lands don't have any crops for now. They are starting this survey at a time when it will show that there is nothing in our lands," Jitendra Memane, another landowner, said. Simmering Discontent Since 2018 In Jan, hundreds of people from the seven villages had marched to the Saswad tehsildar's office with banners and black flags, declaring that they would not give up their land.
The villages have been agitating since 2018 after govt first announced the project. Protests stopped once the Covid-19 pandemic broke out but after the state gave its go-ahead to land acquisition process, they intensified their protests. Earlier this week, the MIDC said that more than Rs 4,500 crore was needed for land acquisition, and a concessionaire would be appointed for the construction of the airport by December.
quote Sunday's meeting sent out a stern warning to all those trying to become govt ‘agents' to persuade landowners to give away their plots. We have told them to stay away and stop all their activities. The other villages too have some events lined up for Ram Navami, and they will also take some decision like we have.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar recently said that the airport will happen under any circumstances. Gudi Padwa has not been happy at all for us B S Memane I Landowner from Pargaon Memane Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with EID Wishes , Messages and quotes !.
