Pune: District collector Jitendra Dudi said on Wednesday that he would seek permission from the State Election Commission (SEC) before disbursing compensation to farmers whose land was being acquired for the proposed Purandar International Airport. Dudi told TOI that since the model code of conduct (MCC) was in force for the upcoming municipal council and nagar panchayat elections, necessary permissions from the SEC would be obtained before proceeding with any financial disbursement. “We will take the required approvals before moving forward,” he said. The administration had earlier planned to start compensation disbursement by Nov 15. Officials said that while discussions on the compensation package had been completed, actual disbursement would require prior SEC approval since no new financial sops or benefits could be extended during the MCC period. “As this package was already discussed and cleared by the state govt, there should not be an issue, but the SEC’s go-ahead is essential before we act,” said a senior district official. A senior SEC official said that the commission would review the matter once the district administration approached it. “These are previously announced schemes, and while they may not directly violate the code, we will assess the proposal before granting permission,” the official said. The administration is currently preparing a detailed note under Section 32(a) of the MIDC Act to be submitted to Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) funding the land acquisition. The MIDC is expected to release ₹3,000–₹4,000 crore for the purpose. During Friday’s meeting, district officials explained the proposed compensation structure to representatives from seven villages and assured them that all eligible landowners would receive equitable benefits once the SEC approval is obtained. The ambitious airport project requires around 1,285 hectares of land spread across seven villages — Ekhatpur, Khanwadi, Kumbharvalan, Munjawadi, Pargaon, Udachiwadi, and Vanpuri. Last week, the district administration held its first meeting with farmers, where it was proposed that landowners would receive Rs1 crore per acre along with other benefits under the compensation package. The proposal also includes double the value of on-site assets such as houses, wells, borewells, cattle sheds, pipelines, and fruit-bearing trees, as well as 10% of developed land for the project-affected farmers.
