Villagers protest against Salem-Chennai road project
Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com
Tiruvannamalai: 02.05.2018
Villagers in Tiruvannamalai district are up in arms against the ₹1,100 crore greenfield access control road project between Salem and Chennai. To register their protest, they have passed a resolution in a special grama sabha meeting against the project.
A day after staging protest and submitting a petition to collector K S Kandasamy, the members of Pasumai Vazhi Salai Ethiruppu Kuzhu said that the residents of nearly 40 villagers have decided to press the village administration to pass a resolution against the eightlane road, which would be executed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). “We have asked the villagers to pass a resolution in the grama sabha meetings held today. It was done in several villagers,” said CPM worker Abhiraman, who is one of the members of the forum formed to protest against the project.
“We have communicated to the government about the public agitation against the project. But the project is in a primitive stage and there will be a public hearing before it is taken up. We will talk to the villagers and also discuss with the officials involved in the project and take further steps,” collector Kandasamy told TOI.
The 277-km-long highway between Salem and Chennai cuts through reserve forest areas and several villages in Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram districts.
“It is insensible to design a project that devours several hectares of forest land. The road would range from 400 feet to 1,000 feet. It will destroy a vast track of green cover in the reserve forest area and have an adverse impact on the environment,” said an official in the forest department and added that the department has yet to receive any official communication from the NHAI.
The official, however, said that they have to follow the standard procedure once the executing agency of the project uploaded the data in the website of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change for clearance. “We will conduct a study and look into to various aspects as per Forest Conservation Act to issue the clearance,” said an official.
Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com
Tiruvannamalai: 02.05.2018
Villagers in Tiruvannamalai district are up in arms against the ₹1,100 crore greenfield access control road project between Salem and Chennai. To register their protest, they have passed a resolution in a special grama sabha meeting against the project.
A day after staging protest and submitting a petition to collector K S Kandasamy, the members of Pasumai Vazhi Salai Ethiruppu Kuzhu said that the residents of nearly 40 villagers have decided to press the village administration to pass a resolution against the eightlane road, which would be executed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). “We have asked the villagers to pass a resolution in the grama sabha meetings held today. It was done in several villagers,” said CPM worker Abhiraman, who is one of the members of the forum formed to protest against the project.
“We have communicated to the government about the public agitation against the project. But the project is in a primitive stage and there will be a public hearing before it is taken up. We will talk to the villagers and also discuss with the officials involved in the project and take further steps,” collector Kandasamy told TOI.
The 277-km-long highway between Salem and Chennai cuts through reserve forest areas and several villages in Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram districts.
“It is insensible to design a project that devours several hectares of forest land. The road would range from 400 feet to 1,000 feet. It will destroy a vast track of green cover in the reserve forest area and have an adverse impact on the environment,” said an official in the forest department and added that the department has yet to receive any official communication from the NHAI.
The official, however, said that they have to follow the standard procedure once the executing agency of the project uploaded the data in the website of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change for clearance. “We will conduct a study and look into to various aspects as per Forest Conservation Act to issue the clearance,” said an official.
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