Government's response about compensation for Chennai Airport Expansion

23-Jan-08

"Oragadam model" may be adopted

The "Oragadam model" of extending compensation for lands acquired for non-residential purposes is likely to be adopted in the Chennai airport expansion project.

Majority of landowners who have resisted the land acquisition process initiated by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu at Oragadam last year, to assist a multi-national company for setting up its production unit, subsequently agreed to relinquish their rights over their lands after the SIPCOT announced a compensation package on a par with the market value.

Enquiries revealed that as far as the Chennai airport expansion project was concerned, agricultural lands formed a sizable portion of the total extent of land to be acquired for the project at Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Tharapakkam, Kovur and Manapakkam, where residential colonies have sprung up during the last two decades.

While the idea of adopting the Oragadam model was being pursued seriously for extending compensation for vacant lands, alternative sites with 'minimum' compensation were likely to be offered to those who had invested in immovable properties at the above-mentioned hamlets, sources said.

Meanwhile, a group of people who have formed the United People's Forum for Survival (UPFS) forum presented a memorandum to Collector Santosh K. Misra on January 21, urging the governments to reconsider the airport expansion project.

UPFS secretary Ms. Brindha said the execution of the airport expansion project would result in environment and ecological problems for those living in the areas abutting the Chennai Airport. It would also drain enormous amount of the exchequer in the form of compensation. The Airport Authority and the governments could consider switching over to a satellite-based navigation system to control air traffic instead of the existing radar based system.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/23/stories/2008012359490500.htm