CHENNAI: Former minister and AIADMK member P Balakrishna Reddy on Friday urged the ruling TVK government to drop the proposed airport project in Hosur, on the lines of the decision on the Parandur project, saying farmers in his constituency were opposed to the plan and their concerns should be addressed.

Participating in the debate on demands for grants for the Housing and Urban Development Department in the Assembly, Reddy said people in Hosur had been protesting against the proposed airport and appealed to the government to consider their objections. He said the government had respected the concerns of farmers in Parandur and dropped the proposed airport there, and urged it to adopt a similar approach in Hosur.

“Hosur farmers have already given up their lands for various industrial projects, including SIPCOT. Farmers had already parted with substantial portions of their holdings for industrial development in the region,” he said.

Responding to him, Leader of the House and Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan said acquisition of agricultural land was inevitable for implementing development projects. “Whenever a project has to be brought in, agricultural land has to be acquired. There is no other way,” Sengottaiyan said.

Sengottaiyan turned down the former minister's demand that agricultural land not be acquired for the proposed airport, calling it impractical.