Villagers pass resolution against second airport in Parandur

CHENNAI: Protests against the proposed second airport for Chennai intensified on Sunday with the residents of villages in nearby Kancheepuram district passing a resolution in the gram sabha meeting against the Tamil Nadu government's move to set it up in Parandur.

On August 2, Chief Minister M K Stalin said the construction of the new airport would take place at Parandur near here at an estimated outlay of Rs 20,000 crore.

During the grama sabha meeting held today in Ekanapuram, a resolution was passed by the protesters, majority of them women. ''We, as residents unanimously oppose the plan to set up a greenfield airport (in Parandur),'' the resolution which was read out in front of the villagers at the meeting, said. The DMK government has clarified its stand that it would offer the villagers over and above the market value for the land that would be acquired for the project in Parandur, located in Kancheepuram district.

Ekanapuram is among the villages, where land acquisition is reportedly being contemplated by the authorities. The resolution was placed on the pedestal of a statue of social reformer B R Ambedkar by the villagers to express their anguish.

Soon after the announcement of the location for establishing the greenfield airport by the state government, the villagers resorted to protests, claiming that the decision would affect their livelihood.

The new airport would have two runways, terminal buildings, taxiways, apron, cargo terminal and other necessary infrastructure.