BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has asked Khurda district administration to identify 10,000 acres of land for establishment of an industrial estate. The Khurda administration has also been asked to identify land for the proposed second airport. The land identified for the two purposes will be handed over to IDCO. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had rejected the proposal of the State Government for establishment of international airport near Khurda. The pre-feasibility study conducted by AAI had stated that the proposed site of airport on over 2,000 acres of land around 40 km south of the Capital near Jankia and Malipada villages was not feasible. The State Government has now started searching for an alternative land for the airport. The Government has also decided to clear encroachments from the Capital for which it has constituted an enforcement monitoring committee (EMC) to be headed by BDA vice-chairman. It will include officials from General Administration Department, Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) as its members. The committee will meet once a week to formulate, execute and review steps taken for eviction of encroachments. Khurda Collector has been asked to ensure that the maps of areas under BMC are digitised and updated to augment execution of works. He would also have to ensure that the Government land is restored in the Government ‘khata’. The committee will draw up weekly schedule of eviction, videography and photography of the whole process, dialogue with public, prosecuting persons resisting the public authority by filing FIR and attaching audio-video evidence with the FIR and uploading all information including photographs on the website.

Source : New Indian Express...