After getting displaced from their old homes two decades ago, 90 families of Tehri dam oustees who are again being forced to leave their new homes for expansion of Jollygrant Airport here have refused to oblige the Uttaranchal government.A deputation of these oustees led by Uttaranchal Industrial Development Minister Kishore Upadhyaya, a legislator from Tehri town, met Chief Minister N.D. Tiwari today and told him in no uncertain terms that they would not vacate their homes unless given a fair deal. Residents of 14 villages of Tehri Garhwal district were displaced in 1978 when work on the Tehri hydro-electric project started. These displaced families were resettled in Athoorwala village near Jollygrant Airport.Each family was given two acres of land. They were also promised government job for a person in each family, civic amenities like road, water and irrigation facilities. ‘‘Except getting land, all other promises remained unfulfilled,’’ lamented Vikaram Singh Bhadari, one of the oustees.A few months ago, the government had issued a notification to acquire 200 acres of land in Athoorwala village for expansion of the airstrip at Jollygrant airport to facilitate the landing of bigger Boeing aircrafts.The government has fixed a compensation of Rs 80,000 per bigha of land for the oustees. ‘‘The compensation is a pittance,’’ Anil Dangwal said.
