CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) has obtained Terms of Reference (ToR) from the Union Environment Ministry for conducting an Environment Impact Assessment and Environment Management Plan with public consultation for the development of Chennai Greenfield Airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district.
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 had come under the scanner as the majority of the 2,173 hectares of land needed for the project were either agricultural land or water bodies. However, the government argued that this greenfield airport project was proposed since the existing Chennai airport will reach its absolute capacity of 35 million passengers per annum by 2028-29.
The project will have an impact on over 1,000 families and about 36,635 trees will have to be felled. So, as part of the ToR, TIDCO was asked to conduct a detailed study on social issues related to the relocation of affected families and proposed mitigation measures. A detailed plan for the cutting of trees and reforestation in consultation with the state forest department is also mandated.