The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : "Vested interests changed airport expansion plan"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

"Vested interests changed airport expansion plan"

Staff Reporter

Pozhichalur, Anakaputhur, Pammal never in original list: Vaiko

INITATIVE: MDMK leader Vaiko campaigning for his party candidate for Tambaram seat K. Somu. — Photo: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Tuesday alleged that vested interests with profit motive managed to change the original design of the Chennai airport expansion plan.

Speaking at Pozhichalur on Tuesday where he campaigned for his party candidate, K. Somu, for the Tambaram Assembly constituency, Mr. Vaiko said that as a result of his plea, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had ordered that all further work in the land acquisition scheme be stopped.

Recalling that Pozhichalur, Anakaputhur and Pammal were never included in the original list of places where land had to be acquired for the proposed airport modernisation, Mr. Vaiko said the subsequent changes could have taken place without the knowledge of the Chief Minister. When the matter was brought to his notice, he drafted a letter expressing his concern about the loss of livelihood and property to several thousands of people. sHe handed over the letter to Ms. Jayalalithaa on March 30 and immediately after going through it, she passed instructions for stopping any further work on the proposed scheme. While making it clear that he had come to Pozhichalur to express his solidarity with the residents, Mr. Vaiko appealed to them to remain united in their struggle.

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