Pune:Purandar airport land acquisition: Collector to camp at Saswad every Monday to clear compensation hurdlesIn a move aimed at speeding up land acquisition for the proposed Purandar international airport, Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi has decided to hold weekly grievance hearings at the Saswad sub-divisional office (SDO) every Monday to resolve pending compensation and documentation issues faced by the affected farmers.Dudi spent Monday, June 22, at the SDO where hundreds of villagers from seven affected villages including Kumbharvalan, Vanpuri, Khanawadi and Pargaon had gathered to raise concerns related to land ownership disputes, succession entries, no-objection certificates (NOCs), rehabilitation, and compensation delays.Addressing the villagers, Dudi said that the administration is getting a positive response from the seven villages and will resolve individual cases on priority. “Issues related to land records, succession entries, NOCs, legal heir certificates and compensation documents are being taken up, case by case. Our objective is to ensure that genuine beneficiaries receive compensation without unnecessary delays,” he said.Dudi announced that he will personally visit the Purandar SDO every Monday to monitor progress. “Instead of farmers visiting multiple offices, all concerned officials will be available at one place. We want transparency, speedy decisions and confidence among the affected villagers as the airport project progresses,” he said.The Monday meeting highlighted that while many farmers have agreed to give their lands for the project, documentation and legal hurdles are delaying compensation payments.Kamlakar Kamthe, a farmer from Kumbharvalan, said that his family’s compensation case has remained pending due to difficulties in completing documentation. “We are six siblings, including four sisters and two brothers. My sisters had sold their shares years ago, but now the administration is asking for NOCs from them. Some of them are living elsewhere and tracing documents has become difficult. Our land is valuable, but procedural issues have stalled the process,” he said.Farmers from Vanpuri and other villages also raised concerns over compensation being held up by ownership disputes. Amol Kumbharkar from Vanpuri said that several families are willing to cooperate with the project but want faster resolution of legal issues. “Unless ownership records and disputes are cleared, farmers cannot receive compensation. We need quicker decisions so that families are not left uncertain,” he said.Small landholders also raised concerns over complex procedures involved in the acquisition process.Pandharinath Khaladkar, a farmer from Khanawadi who owns 42 gunthas, said that small farmers need better guidance. “For small farmers, every guntha matters. We want transparency and timely solutions so that compensation is not delayed,” he said.Some farmers expressed concern over losing agricultural land and alleged the involvement of middlemen in the compensation process. Pandurang Memane from Pargaon said that many farmers are still uncertain about their future after giving up their farmlands. He also alleged that private agents are approaching villagers and charging commissions of 5 to 7% by promising to speed up documentation and compensation work.“Land is not just property for farmers; it is their livelihood. The administration should ensure that farmers get direct assistance instead of depending on middlemen,” Memane said.Officials from the revenue department, land records office and other agencies were present during the meeting to address individual cases.The Purandar airport project has faced delays over land acquisition and opposition from sections of farmers in the past. The administration hopes that regular interaction with affected villagers will help resolve disputes and accelerate the acquisition process.