Seven-point understanding reached to acquire land for Geta airport up-gradation

KAILALI: A seven-point understanding has been made to upgrade the Kailali-based Geta airport to a regional level.

Minister for 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 to finalize the land acquisition process.

Among the charters of understanding were assuring resources for land acquisition and airport up-gradation within the fiscal year 2078/79 BS, distribution of compensation to the affected people within two years since then, among others.

Likewise, the charters also include guaranteeing participation of concerned families, tole development committee and coordination during land acquisition and determining compensation of the land as per the market price.

Geta airport chief Bhatta informed that the team reached to an understanding to not create any form of obstruction to the consumption of the land until the completion of compensation distribution.

Likewise, the agreement also talked about acquiring the land as per the prevailing land acquisition law and land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation policy of Nepal and take into confidence the tole development committee, coordination committee and settlement people for no disruption In the up-gradation of the airport.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) had allocated Rs 1.15 billion budget for the up-gradation of the airport, including land acquisition.

The survey has advanced with the endorsement of a master plan to acquire 258.25 bigha of land for upgrading the existing airport to the regional level.

A technical team of the contractor company hired for airport up-gradation work has initiated aerial survey through the use of drone.