CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) has obtained Terms of Reference (ToR) from the Union Environment Ministry for doing an Environment Impact Assessment and Environment Management Plan for the development of Chennai Greenfield Airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district.
TIDCO will now have to prepare an EIA and EMP with public consultation.
The ToR has a validity of four years within which TIDCO must submit the final EIA and EMP before the Expert Appraisal Committee of the ministry to obtain environmental clearance.
The airport project has come under scanner from greens with majority of 2,173 hectares of land needed being either agricultural land or water bodies. However, the government argues that the existing Chennai International Airport will reach its ultimate capacity of 35 million passengers per annum by 2028-29. Hence this greenfield airport project is proposed to cater to the travel demand of Chennai and surrounding regions.
The project will have an impact on more than 1,000 families and about 36,635 trees will be cut. So, as part of ToR, TIDCO was asked to conduct a detailed study on social issues related to the relocation of affected families and proposed mitigation measures. Detailed plan for tree cutting and reforestation in consultation with the State forest department is also mandated.
The ToR document uploaded in the ministry's website asks for all important hydrological assessment of the catchment areas of the site as two water streams. Also, a study on affected wetlands and NOC from the State wetland authority and a sensitivity analysis of the site as per the ministry's criteria as part of the EIA report.