Protest against land acquisition intensifies
Staff Reporter
The Hindu, March 20
A diverse group of people join hands to oppose any unilateral airport development plan
CITIZENS RALLY: Residents of Pozhichalur staging a protest on Sunday .
TAMBARAM: The protest against land acquisition for airport modernisation gathered momentum on Sunday with citizen groups joining hands to fight any unilateral development plan.
A diverse group of office-goers, working women, housewives, college students, activists, pensioners and senior citizens held meetings at Gowl Bazaar, Pozhichalur and Anakaputhur to make one thing clear — they would never buckle under pressure and would sink their differences to protect their land and livelihood.
At a meeting at St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union's Middle School in Gowl Bazaar, residents said their local body had parted with several acres of fertile land for the Chennai airport in the past few decades.
Many of them were yet to receive compensation for land taken over in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
"We are dependent on whatever little land is left. Do we give up that too," asked Ekambaram, a farmer in his 70s.
At Pozhichalur, more than 500 residents gathered in a private school to decide on the next course of action. Their meeting lasted for more than three hours.
Interestingly, some of the most vociferous speakers were from `safe places.' They came for the meeting to extend support to their relatives and friends and for a just cause.
They decided to form a core committee with strong leadership that could guide the people in waging a unified and disciplined struggle.
The Hindu, March 20
A diverse group of people join hands to oppose any unilateral airport development plan
CITIZENS RALLY: Residents of Pozhichalur staging a protest on Sunday .
TAMBARAM: The protest against land acquisition for airport modernisation gathered momentum on Sunday with citizen groups joining hands to fight any unilateral development plan.
A diverse group of office-goers, working women, housewives, college students, activists, pensioners and senior citizens held meetings at Gowl Bazaar, Pozhichalur and Anakaputhur to make one thing clear — they would never buckle under pressure and would sink their differences to protect their land and livelihood.
At a meeting at St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union's Middle School in Gowl Bazaar, residents said their local body had parted with several acres of fertile land for the Chennai airport in the past few decades.
Many of them were yet to receive compensation for land taken over in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
"We are dependent on whatever little land is left. Do we give up that too," asked Ekambaram, a farmer in his 70s.
At Pozhichalur, more than 500 residents gathered in a private school to decide on the next course of action. Their meeting lasted for more than three hours.
Interestingly, some of the most vociferous speakers were from `safe places.' They came for the meeting to extend support to their relatives and friends and for a just cause.
They decided to form a core committee with strong leadership that could guide the people in waging a unified and disciplined struggle.
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