Writ Plea on Parandur Airport Waterbody Disturbance Withdrawn from Madras HC

Quick Summary:

• the Madras High Court declined to entertain a writ petition filed by the Kali Eri Water Users association, Ekanapuram, against the Tamil Nadu government’s proposed Parandur Greenfield Airport project.
• Justice Mohammed Shaffiq ruled that only a public interest litigation (PIL) could be submitted for protection of waterbodies.
• The association president, B. Kamalakannan, stated that Kali Eri irrigation tank and surrounding waterbodies are critical for local farming communities, serving as key infrastructures in the irrigation system originating from the Palar River.
• Under a Tamil Nadu government order from 2023, administrative approval was granted for establishing the airport on 5,747 acres of land managed by TIDCO-this includes farmland and portions of waterbodies such as irrigation tanks constituting approximately 26.54% of the project area.
• Kamalakannan argued that destroying these waterbodies would harm ecological balance and farmers’ livelihoods while possibly violating their fundamental rights under law.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
This case highlights pressing tensions between infrastructure development and environmental conservation in India’s rural landscapes. While airports like Parandur are vital for regional growth and connectivity, they frequently enough come at the cost of agricultural land and water resources crucial to farming livelihoods-the backbone of India’s rural economy. Farmers claim loss to their primary source of irrigation not only disrupts cultivation but can lead to larger socio-economic consequences such as displacement or food security concerns.

The court’s suggestion to address this through PIL petitions gives affected parties clearer legal recourse but also indicates systemic gaps between state policies on infrastructure projects and safeguarding environmental/ecological assets central to public welfare.For India broadly, balancing developmental goals with sustainability continues to shape policy debates around land acquisition reform-a fast-evolving challenge requiring inclusive solutions.

Read more: Proposed Chennai Greenfield Airport