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Pune: Ministers and opposition leaders have said the police department should handle the agitation by farmers in Purandar against the drone survey and land measurement with sensitivity. BJP's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who is also the revenue minister, told reporters in Pune on Sunday that Saturday's lathicharge would not be accepted. "If the landowners have any issues, steps to address them will be taken.
It includes demands for more compensation, jobs to project-affected people, and other problems," he added. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Bawankule heads the state's land acquisition department. "Land acquisitions are needed for projects like Purandar airport which is important for western Maharashtra and Pune make it internationally.
This airport will be the epicentre for development for Pune," he added. Saturday's protest by farmers, who will lose land to the project, turned violent during the drone survey. Eighteen policemen were injured in the stone-pelting as were several villagers in the lathicharge.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that he has told the authorities to not get aggressive with the farmers. Minister of sports and youth welfare Dattatray Bharne told reporters in Pune on Sunday, that the violence was unfortunate. "Govt will take farmers into confidence and only then proceed with this project," he added.
Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule said govt should have understood the sentiments of people and taken appropriate steps. "However, it is sad and painful that they used force and several people were injured," she said in her post on X. Leader of opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve met the farmers on Sunday.
He said rules clearly state that only land not under cultivation or barren should be considered for acquisition. However, a large portion of land proposed for airport is under cultivation. "We will meet the CM and hope that he will listen.
I also want to urge police to release those arrested as the protest may flare up," he said. Superintendent of police for Pune rural Pankaj Deshmukh told reporters, "A rumour about a woman dying during the protest triggered the violence in which villagers pelted stones at the policemen. The situation worsened and the force had to use tear gas and a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
Otherwise, more police personnel would have sustained injuries," he said. Deshmukh said the 87-year-old woman who died at her residence was not involved in the protest. Police officials said that they registered three different cases, including two cases against 300 to 400 unidentified protesters for obstructing govt employees from doing their duty, pelting stones, and rioting.
A separate FIR was registered against two bullock cart riders for trying to run over several women and police personnel. MSID:: 120874888 413 |.
