Padayatra by CPI-Marxist
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is organising a padayatra from SITRA on Avanashi Road to Chinniyampalayam on July 14 to draw the attention of the Central and State Governments to the issue of land acquisition for airport.In a release, D. Senthilraj, State committee member of the CPI(M), stated that the rumours regarding the proposed acquisition of lands for the airport expansion had resulted in residents going through mental agony.These had benefited real estate agents in forcing people to sell lands and properties at throwaway prices.Coimbatore airport is the biggest airport next to Chennai. As in the case of Chennai and Bangalore airports, why was the Airport Authority of India (AAI) not willing to have its airport constructed at a different place on a sprawling land, he wondered.He also asked why the AAI and the district administration were not willing to acquire the vacant lands in the southern side of the airport.He also alleged that real estate barons having huge land holdings in the area were preventing the acquisition with political influence.Besides hundreds of houses, the proposed acquisition would result in demolition of a number of industries, mills, foundries and educational institutions. When there was so much land available along the airport and its southern side why did the acquisition plans focus only on residential colonies, he asked.
He also questioned how the local bodies gave no-objection certificate and approvals for houses that were in the proposed site for airport expansion. To bring all these “facts” to light, the padayatra would be taken out.C. Govindasamy, MLA and P.K. Sathiyamoorthy, Palladam taluk secretary of CPI(M) would lead the padayatra.
