Farmers await compensation on Pakokku airport project
Farmers have yet to receive compensation for more than 900 acres of land appropriated for the construction of Pakokku Airport, even though the central commission approved the compensation, according to landowners.
“The farmers suffered a big loss as the authorities destroyed their thriving crops with the use of bulldozers. I lost 50 acres of land and 120 toddy palm plants,” said Myauklukan village farmer Sein Than.
“Ever since, we have to live from hand to mouth. And we want compensation from them as soon as possible as we are not allowed to do farming there. Their promised date is a bit late.”
Under the directive of former Senior General Than Shwe and the supervision of Maj Genenral Hla Myint Swe, former minister for transport, the airport project was implemented by the Civil Aviation Department and the Hong Pan company. It took over two years from its inception in 2002 to complete in August 2004.
Since its opening, the airport provided services for a few months before halting its operations.
“The committee has already submitted a proposal to the ministries concerned to give compensations from Ks 1 million to Ks 1.5 million per acre to the farmland owners. The compensations will be granted to them as soon as the committee gets the green-light,” said an official from the township farmland management committee.
The seized land formerly belonged to farmers from Myauklukan, Okkan, Pantaingchone and Gyi villages.
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