While the persistent protests by potential land losers of the 13 revenue villages that raged for months were justified at one level for they were raising lofty concerns like large scale displacement of the rural community or ecological degradation or losing of precious natural water bodies or depriving the livelihood of farmers, the one stroke decimation of the scheme without identifying an alternative site can be detrimental to industrial progress in the State
Dropping the Greenfield airport project that was likely to come up at Parandur in Kancheepuram district like a hot potato could be glad tidings to those who opposed it vehemently for various reasons. But how much the move will impact future industrialization in Tamil Nadu is not clear. All those who have been watching the developments around Parandur in the political, social and other spheres since 2022 when the around 5,000 acre land parcel was earmarked as the site for Chennai’s ambitious second airport know very well that the latest decision to scrap the project by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday, was inspired more by political considerations.
While the persistent protests by potential land losers of the 13 revenue villages that raged for months were justified at one level for they were raising lofty concerns like large scale displacement of the rural community or ecological degradation or losing of precious natural water bodies or depriving the livelihood of farmers, the one stroke decimation of the scheme without identifying an alternative site can be detrimental to industrial progress in the State. For, potential investors could hereafter think twice before coming to the State, where government decisions are altered by political expediency - yes, scrapping the Parandur project was an election promise of the TVK that came to power in May.
Since it has not been explicitly made clear by the new government if the land, 1700 acres of which has already been acquired, would be left undisturbed to allow the people continue with the pastoral lifestyle or not, it has given rise to rumours that the land would be utilized for other industrial development. Whatever happens in Parandur after the government has reneged in its plans, the decision might not augur well to establish investor confidence in the government that now comes across as one that could change colours with every election. Because, the Parandur project was basically a DMK brainchild and its killing is attributed more to political chicanery than to conflicting economic policies.
As even Vijay mentioned in his announcement in the Assembly, the need for a second airport in Chennai, which has emerged as a throbbing industrial hub, cannot be questioned. All that he wanted to make it clear was the airport should not come up in Parandur. He wants to look for an alternative site that would entail less loss of agricultural land and reduced adverse impact on people’s livelihood. But then, the alternative site for the second airport, too, has to be situated somewhere closer to Chennai and not far away from human civilization since access to the city was an imperative. So now the government has taken upon itself the onerous task of identifying a parcel of land that would least affect human settlements and agricultural fields.
Wherever the land is identified, what is the guarantee that the people who will lose their houses and agricultural land because of it would not raise a hue and cry over it and stall the project like the potential land losers of Parandur and surrounding villages did? It will not be fair on the part of the TVK to say that the people in the new site chosen for constructing the airport should put up with displacement, loss of land and livelihood in the overall interest of the State’s development and industrial growth. Even the Parandur project proposal was borne out of the same aspiration.
