Photo source: Internet
Shimla/Mandi, Feb 9,
“Cancel the Balh site and implement the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) recommendation to shift the airport to Jahu.”
With this clear demand, the Balh Bachao Kisan Sangharsh Samiti on Monday intensified its opposition to the proposed Mandi International Greenfield Airport, submitting a detailed memorandum to the Chairman of the Special Expert Group and the Deputy Commissioner of Mandi.
The farmers’ body asserted that the SIA Report 2023, prepared by the SR Asia team, has identified Jahu in Hamirpur district as a more appropriate alternative location compared to the fertile Balh valley.
With nearly 2,500 families staring at displacement and over 12,000 livelihoods at stake, the farmers’ collective has demanded that the airport project be shifted from the fertile Balh valley to Jahu in Hamirpur district, citing that the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Report, 2023, prepared by the SR Asia team, which had identified Jahu as a more suitable alternative.
“Why destroy multi-crop fertile land?”
According to the memorandum, Balh comprises highly fertile, multi-crop agricultural land forming the backbone of the region’s agrarian economy. In contrast, the Jahu–Sarkaghat belt reportedly consists largely of barren or less-fertile terrain, with nearly 80 percent government land and only around 20 percent private ownership.
The Samiti argued that shifting the project to Jahu would significantly reduce land acquisition, displacement, and social disruption.
Allegations of procedural lapses
Bali Ram Kondal, President of the Land Acquisition Affected Forum, said farmers have been raising objections since June 2018, urging the government to safeguard Balh’s fertile land and explore non-agricultural alternatives.
Also read:Spare ‘Balh’ Mandi for international airport
He informed that the previous government moved ahead without adequately consulting farmers and continued the project proceedings despite sustained opposition. Kondal further claimed that the project has advanced over the past four years without a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), economic feasibility evaluation, or a detailed Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) plan as mandated under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
“Mini Punjab” under threat?
District Secretary of Himachal Kisan Sabha, Ramji Das, described Balh as “Mini Punjab ” referring the area as one of Himachal Pradesh’s most productive agricultural belts.
He stated that Balh ranks second in the state after Solan in tomato production and supports an agriculture-driven economy estimated at around Rs 400 crore annually.
According to him, the proposed acquisition could directly affect nearly 2,500 farming families, render approximately 2,000 agricultural labourers jobless and impact livelihoods of over 12,000 people dependent on the local farm economy
Flood risk and ecological concerns
Committee Secretary Nand Lal Verma raised safety concerns, stating that the proposed airport site falls within a flood-prone zone and has experienced major flooding episodes in 1962, 2018, 2023 and 2025.
He said nearly 3,500 bighas of land across six villages are proposed to be acquired, potentially leading to the demolition of around 2,000 houses and cowsheds. Local schools, playgrounds, irrigation schemes and drinking water projects may also be affected.
Verma further pointed their concern that the project could cause likely destruction of the centuries-old Doyda forest and its ecological implications.
Concluding they said the issue is not merely about land acquisition but about protecting food security, ecological balance, and the agrarian backbone of the valley.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
