After 19 years, SC clears way for govt jobs for Uttarakhand villagers who lost land for airport

DEHRADUN: Over 600 villagers in Pithoragarh district won the right to govt jobs after the Supreme Court dismissed Uttarakhand govt's plea against a high court order that upheld an employment assurance made to them 19 years ago. The villagers lost their land for the construction of Naini-Saini airport in March 1992 and were promised jobs in return by local authorities in 2006. The apex court delivered the final verdict on April 8.
The construction of Naini-Saini airport in Pithoragarh started in 1992 for administrative purposes. To facilitate its development, govt acquired land from six villages, affecting around 600 villagers. In 2006, following protests, the state govt reached an agreement with the locals, promising govt jobs at the airport in exchange for their land. Despite this assurance, only six individuals received contractual positions, leaving most without employment.
This led the villagers to form the ‘Naini Saini Gramin Vikas Samiti' to advocate for their rights. In 2014, the villagers approached Uttarakhand high court, which directed the state in 2018 to provide jobs within 10 weeks. Instead of complying, the state govt challenged the order in SC. The court dismissed the appeal last week, clearing the way for the long-pending appointments. "We are not inclined to entertain this petition. The special leave petition is, accordingly, dismissed," said the court order dated April 8.
Kundan Singh Mahar, president of the Naini Saini Samiti, told TOI that the govt had acquired 27.5 hectares of land belonging to 600 villagers. "Except for six people who got contractual jobs in various departments, no other villager was given employment," he said.
In its 2018 ruling, the division bench of the high court criticised the state's inaction. "Despite that categorical assurance held out to the villagers, they have not been offered any public employment. The state has devised a very unique method to deprive the poorest of poor villagers of their land by holding out the promise and thereafter, wriggling out of duty. The gullible villagers have been taken for a ride. The state must show sensitivity in these matters. The villagers have given their land on the basis of private negotiations and assurances held out by the DM, but to date, no concrete action has been taken on that."
Referring to Article 300A of the Constitution, the court said, "The property of a citizen cannot be taken away, save in accordance with law as per Article 300A. The assurance held out was a part of the valid consideration. The same cannot be denied by the state govt. Accordingly, the state is directed to take a final decision on the basis of promise… within 10 weeks from today and consider offering appointments to the villagers positively whose land was acquired for the construction of Naini Saini runway."
(With inputs from Prem Punetha in Pithoragarh)