Madurai airport expansion: Stay on eviction in village

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered an interim injunction restraining the state government from evicting the residents of Chinna Udaippu village, whose land had been acquired for the Madurai airport expansion project. Justice N Mala passed the interim order in a joint petition filed by 258 residents of the village, seeking direction not to evict them without providing proper rehabilitation and resettlement as per the Tamil Nadu Land Acquisition Laws (Revival of Operation, Amendment and Validation) Act, 2019, also known as Revival Act 38 of 2019. According to their petition, nearly 350 families belonging to Scheduled Caste were living in Chinna Udaippu village since time immemorial.

The state government announced its proposal to acquire their lands for the airport expansion initially in 2009 and the lands were acquired in a phased manner from 2018 onwards by paying a meagre amount, which was very low compared to the market value of the properties. Though the entire process was completed by 2023, nearly 30 residents have not been paid any compensation and almost not a single villager has been provided any alternate house or land or any form of rehabilitation, the petitioners alleged. They further pointed out that the lands were acquired under Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.



Since the said Act and two other State Acts became repugnant following the enactment of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the state government had passed the Revival Act 38 of 2019 to revive the operation of the three State Acts, they added. In view of this, continuing with the acquisition proceedings initiated under the 1997 Act is illegal, the petitioners alleged and requested the court to direct the authorities not to evict them without undertaking rehabilitation and resettlement measures as per the Revival Act..