CM Prithviraj Chavan unsympathetic to our demands: PAPs' leader

Close on the heels of CM Prithviraj Chavan stating that “the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) project is being delayed due to adamant attitude of PAPs”, the PAPs state that it is the state government which is adamant over its stance. Due to this, they state, that the project is yet to see the light of the day. They allege that the CM is not interested in solving their problems, but only blaming them for the mess.

“On one hand, the chief minister says that we are adamant, while on the other hand he does not have time to meet us.  “Whenever we demand to see the chief minister, we are told that the meeting will be convened soon. Over six months have passed since we called back our ‘Cidco Bandh’ agitation following assurances by the chief minister. Every time we approach the officials, we are given a different date for the meeting,” said Uran MLA Vivek Patil and convenor of the JNPT and Cidco Prakalpagrast Sangharsh Samiti.

Patil added that the CM had time to attend his felicitation function at Uran, but when the PAPs urged him to meet them, he said he was busy.

“This is nothing but a deliberate attempt to causing harassment to the poor PAPs who have been demanding their right for 28 years,” Patil said.

Commenting on the CM’s recent announcement that the state government will not give cash compensation, Patil said, “It is not necessary that every decision taken by the government is not acceptable to us. We, the samiti members, recently had a meeting with the PAPs wherein we took some decisions that will be conveyed to the Cidco joint managing director,” Patil added.

Earlier, the committee has maintained that if the state government is ready to fulfill the PAPs’ demands, then it can discuss the matter with them. “Six months ago, the state government assured us that a meeting with the chief minister would be held within a week.

“If one week means six months for Cidco, then we better not comment,” Patil had said earlier. He had reiterated that “the airport will and should come up in Navi Mumbai”

PAPs have accused Cidco and the state government for doing nothing for their benefit while planning or building various infrastructural projects such as expansion of NH4B, state highway 54, Sewri-Nhava Sheva sealink, proposed international airport.

The PAPs were forced to intensify their fight against the authorities since they are agitated that the delay in meeting their demands is causing delay in implementation of  infrastructural projects.