Residents of four villages near the Salem Airport have threatened to boycott the parliamentary elections in protest against the move to acquire lands for airport expansion.
Expansion attempts for the Salem Airport, which currently sits on 136 acres, were made twice in 2008-09, under the DMK government, and in 2018, when the AIADMK was in power. On each occasion, though, the plan was dropped after protests from the villages of Kamalapuram, Thumbipadi, Pottiyapuram, and Sikkanampatti. In 2023, the DMK-led government once again speeded up land acquisition work, and the villagers in protest have threatened that they would boycott the elections.
C. Sukumar, a resident of Kamalapuram, said, “We have said several times that we’re not against development projects. While thousands of acres of land are available at Salem Steel Plant and Dalmia Board, it is easy for the government to construct an international airport there. But officials are keen on acquiring 654 acres of land in these four villages, including 520 acres of farmland. While the DMK election manifesto preparation committee led by MP Kanimozhi came to Salem, we submitted a petition regarding our demands. But in the election manifesto released a few days ago by DMK, the party announced that the Airport would be expanded.”
Stating that the DMK’s announcement promise insulted the 15-year protest of the villagers, Mr. Sukumar said the people in these villages would have no choice but to boycott the elections. “We are waiting to hear the position of other political parties on the expansion. If they fail to address our issues, we will have to boycott the elections,” Mr. Sukumar added.
S. Narayanan, a resident of Pottiyapuram, emphasised the need for fair prices under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act 2013. “We are not against any particular political party. Even the DMK participated in our protest against acquiring land for the airport expansion. People from all political parties reside in these villages, Mr. Narayanan added.
