Tamil Nadu on boil again over land acquisition for Chennai-Salem Highway

The cries have begun. The stage is being set for the next protests against the Tamil Nadu government’s strong-arm tactics against those protesting the eight-lane project between Chennai and Salem, which already has three routes. Despite stiff opposition from the farmers and political parties, the state government has commenced land survey in Salem.

The Tamil Nadu government has arrested more than five people, including human rights activist Piyush Sethia (Piyush Manush) of Salem Citizen’s Forum, actor Mansoor Ali Khan and journalist Valarmathi, over the last few days. They had expressed their concerns about the proposed ‘Chennai-Salem Greenfield Corridor’ as the government had not held a public hearing with the farmers whose lands would be acquired for the project and neither was a feasibility study of the project been done.

Mansoor and Piyush spoke to people in their village on May 3. However, the complaint against them was filed more than a month later on June 16. The FIR filed against them states that they have been put in prison because statements made by them would incite violence in the local community. According to the complaint filed by the Village Officer M Veerasami, both Piyush and Manush had asked the people to unite and oppose their land from being taken. They are still in jail.

As a part of the National Highways Authority of India’s Bharatmala Pariyojana, a central government-funded road and highways project, the 277.3 km-long Greenfield Chennai-Salem Highway involves the development of the Tambaram to Harur segment of NH-179B, Harur to Salem segment of NH-179A, Chengalpattu to Kancheepuram segment of NH-132B, Semmampadi to Chetput segment of NH-179D and Polur to Tiruvannamalai segment of NH-38. This 6/8 lane access-controlled highway will pass through six districts—Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Salem—and aims to reduce the driving time between Chennai and Salem from the present six hours by half.

What isn’t being highlighted is that more than 100 hectares of reserve forest land in Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Salem districts will be destroyed to make way for the proposed ₹10,000-crore project, according to the NHAI website.

What is appalling is that the Chief Minister Edapadi K Palaniswami lied in the Assembly about the project. He stated that the project would require only 1,900 hectares of which only 49 hectares is forest land, but according to the NHAI report, a total of 2,791 hectares need to be acquired, of which 120 hectares is forest land.

“Around 2,791 hectares of land has been identified for acquisition; this would mean 854 villages in five districts. The government has not given a break-up of agricultural land, water bodies or even fallow land. More than 10 km of this road will be through forested area. The government has been extremely sketchy about giving details. The social impact assessment has not been done. It is being made to seem that there is only marginal opposition to the acquisition of land. A feasibility report is required to establish the technical and economic viability of a project. Even the government will be surprised by the intensity of protests,” said Nityanand Jayaraman of Vettiver Koottamaippu (Collective).

“The project is in its early stage, no public hearings have been held. Without informing farmers, their land is being surveyed. Why hasn’t the government made a public statement? The people had gone to the Salem collector Rohini and she had asked them to come after a month. This may be a routine issue for the Collector, but it isn’t so for them as their livelihood depends on these lands. Is it a crime to question?” said Henri Tiphagne, National Working Secretary, Human Rights Defenders Alert.

The arrests have led the Opposition leaders to lash out at Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK government. DMK working president MK Stalin had tweeted the photograph of a frail woman being led away by policemen. She was protesting that her 4.5-acre land would be taken away if the proposed eight-lane Salem-Chennai highway became a reality. For raising her voice, she and a few others were taken away by the police. Stalin, in his tweet, asked if this is a democratic land or a police hunting forest.

Taking to Twitter, his sister and DMK MP Kanimozhi had stated that the eight-lane Salem project would put any ruthless dictator to shame.

“The AIADMK-Palaniswami Government seems petrified of its people and their opinions. Facing global criticism for shooting 13 protesters during anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi, protesters against the Salem-Chennai 8-lane project are now being hauled to jail. Palaniswami's undue haste in pushing through this project has raised further suspicions. In the Legislative Assembly, Palaniswami misquoted the extent of farm land that will be destroyed for this project. The legally mandated social and environmental impact assessments have been given a pass. DMK remains firm in holding this Government accountable on all environmental norms and legal obligations,” said Manu Sundaram, DMK spokesperson.

“The Government has offered no explanation about the 16 reserve forest areas that will have to be destroyed for this project. After Kudankulam, Neduvasal, Theni and Thoothukudi, the next wave of pro-environmental movement is ready to boil over in Salem,” added Sundaram.

“DMK believes in ensuring the law is followed in letter and spirit. We have launched and completed infrastructural mega projects such as the Chennai Metro project and Maduravoyal-Port Elevated Expressway, during the time of the UPA government, without trampling over fundamental rights or turning into a police state,” highlighted Sundaram.

Tiphagne pointed out that Piyush and Mansoor have only exercised their Constitutional rights. “My Constitution gives me the right to advice people and I have only done my duty.”

According to Article 51 A, Subsection G, a citizen must protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures and according to Subsection I, every citizen must safeguard public property and abjure violence.

“It is the duty of the district legal services authority, of which the chairperson is the serving district judge, to educate people on their rights and duties. We should be seeing a band of lawyers there; on the contrary, cases are being filed against farmers. Local farmers were arrested when the revenue officials came. Is there an enquiry. This is blatantly illegal,” said Tiphagne emphatically.

There are many other roads which urgently require to be extended and repaired, but no one is bothered about those roads, alleged Tiphagne. “This expressway has been urgently pushed forward because of the Jindals. They have mining activities in and around Salem as it is a known location for bauxite mining,” alleges Tiphagne.