:
The development of the second airport at Parandur may change drainage gradients, channelise water unnaturally and pose grave danger for the environment, G. Sundarrajan, climate activist and environmentalist of Poovulagin Nanbargal said.
Mr. Sundarrajan said following the government order (G.O.) for commencing land acquisition, there seemed to be a narrative that ignored the importance of the waterbodies near the site of the project, and failed to understand their role in Chennai’s flooding crisis. “The airport-led development will destroy the watershed area. Concretisation of wetlands in and around Chennai will make the city more easily prone to floods when this project gets implemented,” he added.
In a post on ‘X’, he said: “Waterbodies, even smaller ones, play a critical buffering role during episodes of Short Duration Extreme Rainfall — a key feature of climate change impacts. The last few floods in Chennai [notably in 2015, 2019, and 2023] have shown that areas with preserved or restored wetlands saw slower and more manageable flooding, while urbanised zones without such buffers were overwhelmed. Wetlands delay the flood peak, allowing rainwater to spread, settle, and percolate. Without them, floodwater rushes downstream — in this case, towards Chennai — within hours rather than days.”
He reiterated that despite such growing concerns, the government refuses to share the hydrogeological report. “Why are they fiercely guarding the report and not sharing it with the public. After all, this project is for the people,” he added.
On the recent G.O. on the rehabilitation and resettlement package for those who will be affected by the project, he said, initially, the government had said they were going to pay three times the market value. “But the package they have planned is far from enough for the people. The government has not considered that with this compensation, the families cannot shift to another location and settle easily. It will be a difficult life ahead for them,” he said.
Villagers are also disappointed with the package announced by the government. S.D. Kathiresan, a resident of Ekanapuram, and a farmer said, whatever be the package, the villagers are not willing to part with their lands and houses. “The government is not factoring in how life will change for people like us and the environmental implications of this project. Anyway, now, we have decided that we will take legal recourse. We are not ready to give up even one cent of our land,” he added.
Published – July 06, 2025 11:59 pm IST
