AIADMK MLA urges government to drop proposed Hosur airport project

CHENNAI: Former minister and AIADMK MLA P Balakrishna Reddy on Friday urged the ruling TVK government to drop the proposed airport project in Hosur, 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. The government should listen to their concerns, just as it listened to the farmers of Parandur,” he said.

The former minister also said agricultural land should not be acquired for the proposed airport when farmers had already parted with substantial portions of their holdings for industrial development in the region.

Responding to him, Leader of the House and Revenue Minister K A 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.

Reddy further reiterated his appeal to the government to reconsider the Hosur airport project and take into account the concerns of farmers and local residents before proceeding with the proposal.