more-in Residents of Pattathammal Street situated near the international airport here have stoutly opposed the acquisition of their lands by the revenue authorities for the airport expansion project on the grounds that it would severely affect their livelihood. Several families situated in the street falling under the 37th ward publicly expressed their ire against the proposed move to acquire their lands by staging a ‘waiting agitation’ along the Tiruchi – Pudukottai National Highway near the airport all through the day on Monday. The residents resorted to this step following failure of talks convened by the revenue authorities on Saturday to discuss about the acquisition of their land for the airport expansion project. A section of residents who took part in the meeting which was also attended by officials from the Airports Authority of India and the City Police refused to accept the decision of the revenue authorities regarding land acquisition. Several men, women and children totally numbering over 1,000, sat along the highway near the airport during the day-long agitation and made it clear that they would continue to stay put at the same place. M. Vinayagamoorthy, an AIADMK member who has been residing in the street since his birth said the residents came to know about the move to acquire their lands for the airport expansion project only after issue of a notification in a vernacular daily a few months ago. “Free house site pattas were issued to us as early as 1972 by the government and the families have been staying in that area for several years now”, he said. The residents had met the District Collector and petitioned the Tiruchi Lok Sabha MP P. Kumar once the notification was issued, he further said. “Majority of the residents belong to the Dalit community and are daily wage earners working in a nearby leather factory besides engaged in painting and other civil works,” said Vinayagamoorthy Nearly 4,000 residents were currently staying in Pattathammal street and many of them had even registered their respective plot, said K. K. Ambikapathy another resident. Residents said they would not compromise on their lands as it would also adversely affect the education of their wards. They also made it clear during the peace talks convened by the revenue authorities that they would not be in a position to live peacefully even if heavy amount were to be given as compensation to each one of them. Mr. Vinayagamoorthy said during the talks it was informed to them by the revenue officials that the notification was issued only after the State government issued an order pertaining to land acquisition. Revenue officials had also reportedly conveyed to the participants during the talks that steps would be taken to provide them higher compensation and that they should extend their full cooperation to the acquisition. “However, we refused to accept the contention made by the revenue authorities”, said Vinayagamoorthy who was part of the team that went for the talks. The agitation concluded in the evening.

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