Bajpe: Dalit Resistance To The Expansion Of Mangalore Airport

Background

Vimana Nildhana Vistharana Virodhi Samithi (Citizens Alliance Against Airport Expansion), a committee of project affected communities largely constituting Dalit families, have been resisting the expansion of Bajpe airport near Mangalore for more than a decade now. ESG has facilitated the Samithi in organising their resistance in a variety of ways, including advocating through the media, organising public protests, initiating Public Interest Litigations and representing their cause before a variety of regulatory agencies including the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the Director General of Civil Aviation.

Fundamentally the issues raised involve the expansion of the existing Mangalore airport by building a 2nd Runway and Terminal tower that will enable the flights movements of wide bodied aircrafts of the Airbus 320 class. This proposal which was initially made during the late eighties by the Mangalore Chamber of Commerce, was taken up actively by the Airport Authority of India, and land acquisition was initiated soon after. The location chosen was technically inappropriate as per international standards laid down in ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation), putting the life of the passengers at risk. However, the project authorities have paid no consideration to these concerns and are continuing with the project, paying scant regard to the procedural and environmental norms.

22nd May 2010: A plane carrying 167 crashed at Mangalore Int’l Airport on 22nd May, reportedly overshooting the runway while landing. This is the direct result of criminal negligence on the part of planning and regulatory authorities during the construction of the runway. Read more.

Documentation

• Supreme Court Order No. 1172 of 2003
• Writ Petition No. 20905 of 2002 filed in the High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore 
• Karnataka High Court Judgment (W.P. No. 37681/1997) of November 1998 
• Statement of Objections of Airports Authority of India (W.P. No. 37681/1997) of October 1998 
• PIL filed in 1997 
• Impleading Application 

Annexures to 2002 PIL

• Annexure K – Letter to The Commissioner, Mangalore Mahanagara Palike regarding Garbage dumping at Pachanady Village from Arthur J. Pareira – 30 October 2001
• Annexure M – Memorandum submitted to Sri H.M. Shavul, Chairman, National Airport Authority of India, New Delhi with regards to airport extension project from Lalavoor, Adyapady and Kolambe villages of Mangalore Taluk 
• Annexure N – Letter by Mr. Jagan Nath, Director Air Routes and Aerodromes, Airports Authority of India in response to Memorandum submitted to Mr. Shavul – 25 September 1996
• Annexure P – Letter by P.B.Daswani, Dy. Director, Airports Authority of India to Rev. Fr. Ronald D’souza in response to request sent for a copy of the Feasibility Report of the second runway for Mangalore Airport – 18 September 1997
• Annexure R – Representation on behalf of public of Malavoor, Adyapady and Kolambe Villages by Mr. Arthur J. Pareira regarding Expansion of Mangalore Airport to Chief Secretary, Department of Environment and Forestry – 16 July 1997
• Annexure S – Letter to the Chief Secretary, Department of Environment and Forestry from Mr. Arthur J. Pareira, requesting response to representation sent on 16/07/97 stating various effects on the surroundings if expansion of Airport at Mangalore is implemented – 01 September 1997
• Annexure T – Letter to Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kanna District, Mangalore by Arthur J. Pareira, requesting a copy of the Executive Summary prepared by the Airports Authority of India in regard to the Mangalore Airport Expansion Project – 30 October 2001
• Annexure U – Covering letter to The Airport Director, Mangalore Airport from Deputy Commissioner, D.K. Mangalore, enclosed with the Executive Summary prepared by Airport Authority of India as requested vide petition by Mr. Arthur J. Pareira – 9 November 2001

Letters

• Letter to Chairman, Airport Authority of India, March 08, 2004 
• Letter to Sri Monappa, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Mangalore, April 29, 2002 
• Letter to International Civil Aviation Organisation, December 18, 1999 
• Letter to International Civil Aviation Organisation, December 10, 1998 
• Letter to International Civil Aviation Organisation, November 06, 1998 

Press

Articles

• Crash Raises Issue of India’s Aviation Oversight: Vikas Bajaj and Heather Timmons – New York Times, 22 May 2010
• Bajpe airport development work to begin soon: Revanna – Deccan Herald, January 26, 2004
• Tampering of oustees’ land records alleged, Deccan Herald, August 03, 1998

Press Releases

• May 22, 2010: “Mangalore Air Crash Tragic Fallout of Criminal Negligence of Planning and Regulatory Authorities”
• March 03, 2003: “Mangalore Airport Expansion to proceed only if Legal”
• March 10, 2001: “Government prepares to evict people to accommodate Mangalore Airport Expansion without complying with International Standards and obtaining Statutory Clearances”
• February 01, 1999: “Bajpe residents resist survey of Land for expansion of Mangalore Airport MLA Ramnath Rai leads delegation to lodge protest with Commissioner”
• August 01, 1998: “Brutal eviction awaits 208 families as Asst. Commissioner tampers land records transferring ownership to Airport Authority of India – Revenue Minister not aware: Promises to study the matter”
• July 30, 1998: “Over 300 Land Records tampered overnight by Land Acquisition Officer to Rush through expansion of Bajpe Airport” – Press Invitation
• January 29, 1998: “Clarification regarding the press released made on 12 January 1998”
• January 12, 1998: “High Court admits PIL against the New Mangalore Airport”
• January 12, 1998: “High Court Stays Proposed New Mangalore Airport”

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