Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) chairman M Kodandaram has opposed the move to construct a Greenfield airport in the tribal area of Punukuduchelka village in the district, saying it will jeopardise the interests of tribal people and affect the rich biodiversity of the nearby Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary.
He was speaking at a public meeting organised by the CPI (ML-New Democracy) Chandranna Group in the village on Wednesday.
The meeting was organised in protest against the proposal to construct an airport at the village, sources said.
Asserting that he was not opposed to construction of an airport in the district, Mr Kodandaram said the site chosen for the airport in the tribal area near the wildlife sanctuary was most inappropriate from the socio-economic and environmental perspective.
The government, which was depriving tribal people of their rights guaranteed under the Forest Rights Act, was vigorously pursuing the proposal to construct an airport in the tribal area surrounded by forests, he alleged.
The persons at the helm of affairs should focus on improving road facilities in tribal areas and extending rail connectivity to the tribal heartland of Bhadrachalam division with a pragmatic approach to development, he said.
The airport could be constructed at a suitable place in the plain areas somewhere near the closed opencast projects near Kothagudem town, he said.
