Project-hit force Mihan shutdown

NAGPUR: Work at the Multimodal International Hub at Nagpur (Mihan) was once again stopped by local residents demanding better compensation for
their land being acquired for the project. The work was stopped last year too during the same period by the residents of the Khapri, Telhara and nearby villages led by BJP MLA Chandrashekhar Bawankule. It was resumed almost a week later after a truce mediated by state BJP president Nitin Gadkari.

This time the residents of Shivangaon village led by Baba Dawre have also joined the agitation. So far Bawankule and Dawre were split and carrying out agitation for the projected-affected separately. Dawre said that he had a meeting with Bawankule on Sunday evening and the groups decided to join hands.

The residents went up to the different Mihan sites on Sunday morning asking the labourers to stop working. The labourers, fearing trouble, complied. The entire area bore a deserted look. The residents also stopped entry of four-wheelers from some of the points leading into the site. A heavy police deployment has been made near each site. However, despite that, the locals continued to prevent work at the site.

Dawre added that the strike was an indefinite one and would be withdrawn only if the demands are met. The two major demands include allotment of developed land in proportion of 12.5% of land being acquired for the project as well as increasing the compensation amount to at least Rs 30 lakh an acre. Those from Bawankule’s faction have also demand that the compensation package should be designed in line with the state’s rehabilitation policy.
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