Anna Mathew
November 11, Chennai
Tamil Nadu’s new land law for special projects has raised concerns among farmers in Parandur, who face the loss of their and and water bodies to the Chennai Greenfield Airport project.
Tamil Nadu’s Land Consolidation (for Special Projects) Act, 2023, facilitates the allocation of land, not more than 100 hectares, with water bodies like ponds and rivers for special projects. Special projects are projects that require not less than 100 hectares of land for industrial development.
When the project was announced, the farmers were told that they would receive three to four times the market value for their land, but they have only received a public acquisition notice, said G Subramanian, Secretary of the Parandur Greenfield Airport Scheme protest group.
“Residents of Ekanapuram, a village in Parandur where 900 acres are designated for the airport’s runway say their concerns are being overlooked,” said Subramanian.
The timing of the act is very convenient for the government as it allows the state to acquire lands with water bodies, said an environmental lawyer familiar with the case, on the condition of anonymity. “Parandur has many water bodies critical for farmers and is home to endangered birds,” said the lawyer.
Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) will proceed with the Rs.32,704 crore project, set to be completed in four phases, said Sandeep Nanduri, Managing Director of TIDCO in an interview on the sidelines of a Logistics Expo in Chennai. “The project has received environmental clearance and will go ahead,” said Nanduri.
TIDCO is seeking private partners to fund the project, according to a consultant working with the corporation. TIDCO has already acquired over 390 acres out of 4,500 acres for the project, said the consultant.
Farmers say they have not been consulted on compensation or relocation plans, which should be provided by law to protect affected parties. Villagers are also facing legal repercussions including arrests due to the ongoing protest.
“We will go to court if the project proceeds,” said Subramanian.
Calls and emails to the State government and Airport Authority of India did not elicit a response.