MP Ray Demands Proper Land Acquisition Before Great Nicobar Airport Meeting

Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is pushing for authorities to strictly follow the rules when it comes to acquiring land for the planned Greenfield International Airport on Great Nicobar Island.

Ray recently sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Nicobar District, flagging some serious concerns. He pointed out that even though a preliminary notification for land acquisition went out in November 2025, important steps laid out in the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, haven't been completed yet. This is all happening right before a crucial meeting of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Committee for the airport project.

Missing Pieces in the Paperwork

According to Ray, as reported by Nicobar Times, documents he received from the Assistant Commissioner in Campbell Bay didn't include a Collector's report. This report should contain recommendations based on objections received under Section 15(2) of the Act. Also missing was a decision from the government under Section 15(3).

Ray is clear: these aren't minor details. He says these are mandatory legal requirements that absolutely must be finished before any further steps are taken to acquire land. Without them, the process can't legally move forward to the declaration stage under Section 19 of the Act.

This isn't the first time the MP has brought this up. Back in December 2025, he had already written to the government, sending along objections and suggestions from families who would be affected by the project. He also included his own recommendations. But so far, he hasn't heard back about any decisions.

Public Hearings Aren't Enough

Ray also highlighted that public hearings, which happen under Section 16 of the Act and focus on the draft rehabilitation scheme, aren't a substitute for the proper procedure under Section 15. The latter deals with objections related to the land acquisition notification itself.

These objections cover important issues like whether the proposed land is actually suitable, if the acquisition truly serves a public purpose, and what the Social Impact Assessment Report found. He stressed that these types of concerns need to be properly addressed, not just sidestepped by holding other types of hearings.

To back up his points, Ray referred to a Supreme Court judgment from May 2024. The court had ruled in the case of Dinesh & Others vs. State of Madhya Pradesh & Others that following Sections 15(2) and 15(3) of the RFCTLARR Act is a must. If these aren't followed, the entire acquisition process could be deemed invalid.

So, before the R&R Committee meeting gets its final date, it looks like there's quite a bit of administrative heavy lifting to be done to ensure everything is above board and legal.

Source

https://nicobartimes.com/local-news/mp-bishnu-pada-ray-urges-compliance-with-mandatory-land-acquisition-procedures-before-great-nicobar-airport-rr-meeting/