Farmers protest against land acquisition for Parandur Greenfield airport

CHENNAI: Residents of 20 villages in Kancheepuram district, including Parandur, Ekanapuram, and Nelvoy, have launched a massive protest by hoisting black flags on their homes and streets, opposing the land acquisition for the proposed Parandur Greenfield Airport.

The protest is due to the fear of losing agricultural lands and houses due to the airport project.

The central and state governments announced the project in August 2022, proposing the construction of the airport on 5,746 acres, impacting several villages.

Since the announcement, local residents have staged continuous protests in various forms, expressing their discontent with the plan.

Residents of Ekanapuram have been protesting for more than two years, with their sit-in protest entering its 811th day.

The villagers have voiced their opposition through gram sabha meetings, passing nine resolutions against the airport while boycotting six other meetings in protest.

Despite the ongoing opposition, the Tamil Nadu government is proceeding with preparations for the airport.

Newspaper announcements have been made, detailing the extent of land acquisition in each village.

In response, the residents of 20 villages, including Vellathur, Parandur, and Nagapattu, have intensified their protests by hoisting black flags.

Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association leaders have also joined the protests, showing their solidarity with the villagers.

According to reports, protesters allege that police have been registering false cases against them as an intimidation tactic and have called for the withdrawal of these cases.