17 November,2010 07:18 AM IST | | Rinkita Gurav
To be displaced by airport site, CIDCO was to bear training cost for 20-year-old's airhostess training but has not done so yet
The controversial Navi Mumbai Airport might be finally heading towards reality but the dream of a 20-year-old girl from Owle village may never come true.
"I have no faith in CIDCO anymore", said a hopeless Rhutuja Gharat, one of the thousands of people who will be displaced because of the impending airport.
Rhutuja is now studying at a college in Nerul
Rhutuja's dream of becoming an airhostess crashed after the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) ignored her pleas for funds for the training costs.
This is despite an RTI filed by Mohan Gharat, Rhutuja's cousin, which states that CIDCO would provide training and cover costs for any job opportunities at the airport for the displaced individuals (copy available with MiD DAY). But Rhutuja and her family have lost all hope that people will be appropriately rehabilitated.
After the plan to build the airport was announced a few years ago, Rhutuja decided to train as an airhostess so that she could secure a job there. "I was selected by Airhostess Training Academy but I could not join them as CIDCO did not provide funds for the course.
I persisted and was assured of some funds but nothing happened," said Rhutuja. Eventually she gave up and continued her studies at SIES College in Nerul instead.
Hopeless locals
Many other displaced people also want first preference for jobs at the airport. Vikrant Gharat, Rhutuja's brother, said, "People here earn their livelihood from agrarian ways Since most of them are uneducated, the authorities should provide vocational training so that they can adjust to the airport environment."
Another post-graduate student said, "I have completed my Masters Degree but don't trust the airport authorities to provide me with a job."
The Other Side
Public Relations Officer of CIDCO, Mohan Ninawane, said, "We have already decided the compensation package for the villagers and have sent it to higher authorities. We will provide jobs for the villagers and also the training required for it."
However, Managing Director of CIDCO, Tanaji Satre said, "Employment will be worked out for the displaced but training for commercial pilot, airhostess and some other posts would not be provided by us."
