CHENNAI: Within a fortnight after submitting an application before the Union environment ministry for Terms of Reference (ToR) to prepare Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the development of Chennai greenfield airport at Parandur, Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) has filed a request for withdrawal of the application.
The current proposal status in the ministry’s Parivesh website says, “pending at MS for proposal withdrawal request”. This means the member secretary of the ministry’s Environment Assessment Committee, which deals with infrastructure- related projects, is currently reviewing the withdrawal request submitted by TIDCO. The application for ToR was initially filed by TIDCO on February 23.
The ToR is for preparation of EIA, based on which environmental clearance will be sought. Sources told TNIE the government may also go slow on the land acquisition process until the election is over. The farmers in Parandur have been up in arms and their protest is nearing its 600th day.
For the airport, the state government proposes to acquire a whopping 5,369 acres (2,173 hectares), of which 47% is irrigated agricultural land, 16% is dry agricultural land and another 27% is waterbodies. So far, the government issued land acquisition notification in Podavur village, which is one among the 13 villages whose land will be acquired. The move had led to intensification of protests.
With Lok Sabha election round the corner and the model code of conduct likely to come into force later this month, official sources told TNIE the government does not want any public backlash at this juncture. “It would not be incorrect to read the submission of withdrawal of ToR application in the context of general election,” sources said.
When contacted, TIDCO managing director Sandeep Nanduri said, “Withdrawal request was filed to make some corrections to the proposal. It has got nothing to do with the MCC. We are going ahead with the land acquisition process.”