Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) Tamil Nadu state secretary P. Shanmugam on Wednesday, 26 August demanded that the state government return land acquired for the now-shelved Parandur greenfield airport project to its original owners, strongly opposing any move to redirect the property toward alternative industrial use.

What Triggered the Demand

The issue came to a head when legislators raised questions on the floor of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, seeking clarity on the government's intentions for the already-acquired land. In response, the Industries Minister indicated that the plots could be deployed for other industrial ventures — a position Shanmugam swiftly and publicly rejected.

In a statement, Shanmugam argued that the government could not legally divert property acquired for one stated public purpose to an entirely different project once the original scheme had been abandoned.

The Legal Argument

Shanmugam grounded his demand in the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. According to him, the statute explicitly requires that land acquired for a specific project be returned to its original owners if it remains unused for five years or if the project itself is scrapped. The law, he said, does not permit authorities to retain such land indefinitely or transfer it to another scheme. Any attempt to use the Parandur land for unrelated industrial development would, in his view, amount to a violation of the legislation.

Background: Why Parandur Became Contentious

The proposed airport at Parandur, located on the outskirts of Chennai, had faced prolonged and vocal opposition from farmers and residents of villages earmarked for acquisition. Protesters had repeatedly warned that the project would result in the loss of fertile agricultural land, homes, and livelihoods, while also threatening local water bodies and the broader environment. The sustained resistance was a significant factor in the airport plan eventually being dropped.

CPM's Core Argument: Consent and Purpose

Shanmugam emphasised that farmers had parted with their land solely because it was being acquired for the airport. Once that purpose ceased to exist, he argued, the state was both legally and morally obligated to restore the land rather than repurpose it without the consent of the original owners.

He urged the administration to withdraw any proposal to use the acquired plots for alternative industries and to immediately initiate the process of returning them to the rightful landowners. The government must also ensure, he said, that farmers are not deprived of their rights through administrative decisions taken in the wake of the airport project's cancellation.

What Happens Next

The Tamil Nadu government has not yet formally responded to Shanmugam's demand. With the matter now raised in the state legislature and backed by a specific legal provision, pressure on the government to clarify its position on the Parandur land is set to intensify in the coming weeks.