The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Environmentalists concerned about airport project

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Sunday, May 11, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Environmentalists concerned about airport project

Ananth Krishnan

CHENNAI: The airport expansion project, which involves extension of a runway across the Adyar river, has raised concern among environmentalists, who say the plan will increase the likelihood of flooding in surrounding areas.

As part of its 1069.99 acre, Rs.1,800-crore project, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will extend the 6,500-foot cross runway and build a taxi track across the Adyar river, by constructing a bund over the water. The AAI will also construct a second parallel runway on the river’s northern embankment.

“A runway across the river is dangerous as it will…lead to higher inflow into the river,” warns Ranjit Daniels, director of Care Earth. “Technology may help minimise the flooding of the runway per se, but there is no way the surroundings can be kept safe.” The Adyar river is the largest outlet from the Chembarambakkam lake, which lies 7 km to the north-west of the proposed site.

Dr. Daniels says the river drains rainwater from a much larger surrounding area, most of which was “already choked,” and such a project would affect drainage patterns and increase the likelihood of flooding.

AAI stand

The AAI rejects these concerns. It has already submitted a feasibility report and a rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Ministry of Environment and Forests for approval (although only for the first phase of its project, which involves the runway extension).

A pre-Public Investment Board meeting for the project is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on Monday, and sources within the AAI indicated that they expect to receive clearance from various Ministries to allow work to begin next month. The AAI’s feasibility report states there will be “no changes in water bodies or the land surface that will affect drainage or run-off.” The Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), however, disputes these claims.

“The report fails to take into account what the current water availability in the area is, and for an EIA, this is not acceptable and is incomplete,” says Amritha Kasturi Rangan of CAG. “The mitigation measures are not clearly spelled out. For instance, the report says waste will be ‘suitably’ disposed of, but they haven’t identified any sites for disposable or how much waste will be generated.”

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