The blackboard on the wall of a temple at Ekanapuram village in Kancheepuram district says “300” with the message in Tamil “Vivasayam vendum, vimana nilayam vendam” (agriculture is needed and no need for airport).
To mark the 300th day of protest against the proposed airport at Parandur, residents of Ekanapuram staged a demonstration near the village lake on May 21, affirming that they are not willing to give up their homes and ancestral land.
Of the 13 villages that would be affected by the airport, Ekanapuram faces the prospect of being entirely taken over. “We will not step down even for another 300 days until the project is dropped,” said G. Subramanian, secretary of Ekanapuram Village People and Farmers Welfare Board.
The proposed airport will be about 70 km from Chennai. Of the over 4,791 acres required for the airport, which is expected to be built at a cost of ₹20,000 crore, 2,605 acres are wetlands. Apart from villager’s protest against the loss of agricultural lands, environmentalists have flagged the ecological damage and potential risk of flooding as the airport runs through a substantial part of the Kamban Canal, which reportedly fills nearly 85 lakes before reaching Cherumbakkam lake.
“Seven km of the Kamban Canal will be destroyed for the airport and 43 lakes will be closed. As a result, floodwaters will easily reach Poonamalle,” said A. Sekar, resident of Ekanapuram.
A report released by environmental organisation Poovulagin Nanbargal in October 2022 raised concerns on the increased risk of flooding and pointed out that full utilisation of more than 4,000 waterbodies west of Chennai can save more than 100 tmcft. of water and prevent floods.
The government has formed a high-level committee to carry out a hydrogeological study. The panel has been told to be complete its task in about six months. It will assess flooding data and come up with suggestions to protect waterbodies in the area.
