Parandur greenfield airport likely to get environmental clearance on June 28
However, the Parandur lake, a man-made wetland spread across 201 hectares is situated at a distance of 14 km from the project boundary
Graphic representation of Parandur airport
CHENNAI: Even as the villagers whose lands will be acquired for setting up the greenfield airport in Parandur are threatening to seek asylum in Andhra Pradesh in protest over acquiring their farmland, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will discuss issuing environmental clearance (EC) for the project.
A decision will be taken at the 128th meeting of EAC to be held on June 28. Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO), the project proponent agency, has proposed to construct the new airport on 5,369 acres of agricultural land, waterbodies and habitations of 13 villages around Parandur. If the EAC gives its recommendation in favour, the ministry will issue its final approval.
TIDCO submitted a revised application for EC for the Rs 32,000-crore project on March 14 and the Ministry accepted it for scrutiny on May 17.
In its application, TIDCO said wildlife clearance was not required as there are no eco-sensitive areas within 10 km distance from the site. "There is no CRZ, biosphere and critically polluted area, or State or national boundary within 10 km distance from the site. There is no forest land involved, thus forest clearance is not required," the application added.
However, the Parandur lake, a man-made wetland spread across 201 hectares is situated at a distance of 14 km from the project boundary. "The current land use pattern of the proposed airport project is waterbodies, agriculture and settlements," the application added.
Justifying the project, TIDCO said keeping in view of the future traffic growth, the development of additional airport at Chennai would provide direct and indirect benefits. Apart from better facilities for air passengers, the benefits it cited include promotion of tourism, trade, commerce, and increase in regional economy as it would boost tourism and commercial activities in the region, generation of more revenue to the State, hence more development of the region, more employment opportunity to people, ore business and industrial opportunities.
In 2022, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) conducted a feasibility study at Parandur, Pannur, Tiruporur and Padalam for the greenfield airport. But Parandur has been finalised due to land availability, travel distance, infrastructure development cost, airspace availability and existing obstacles around the site.