Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Tuesday assured cooperation to the Indian Air Force for upgradation of its Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) besides other initiatives in the state.
The assurance came when Air Vice-Marshal K S Gill called on Tuki at his office, official sources said.
The five ALGs are located at Pasighat (East Siang), Ziro (Lower Subansiri), Mechuka (West Siang), Tuting (Upper Siang) and Walong (Anjaw).
Gill requested the chief minister to make available the land required for the extension of the existing landing grounds as soon as possible so that work could be completed within a short period.
Additional land was required around the existing ground to facilitate landing and taking-off of heavy aircraft as well as construction of other infrastructure including the terminal, he said.
The IAF has already received funds to the tune of Rs 1000 crore for the project from the central government in the first phase, Gill said.
On the issue of land compensation to the affected people, he said the IAF was ready to pay for it as per the rate fixed by the local administrations.
The other important issue raised by the IAF official was relocation of the residents of Rigio village who are in close proximity of the IAF’s firing range near Dollungmukh in Lower Subansiri district on the inter-state boundary with Assam.
Tuki, however, requested the IAF official to keep the interests of the local people on top while implementing the projects, sources said. (PTI)
