On 27 April 2018, hundreds of farmers and their family members laid a siege to the Salem collectorate to protest against land acquisition for airport expansion in the city [1]. The primary reason for the protest has been the safeguard of the land and livelihoods. The proposed expansion of the airport requires 567 acres of land. The land for the initial airport was acquired in 1989 from the parents and grandparents of those protesting now. When the Salem district administration began formalities to acquire lands for the expansion, the farmers and the residents strongly opposed. They also urged the district administration and chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to drop land acquiring activity even as they were assured of huge amounts in compensation. The officials assured the land owners and the farmers that they would give four times of money than the government's guideline value. "But, we are not struggling for money and we protesting to save our livelihood," the farmers said.
M Shivakumar, a farmer and one of the protesters, said, "We don't have any option other than agriculture." Shivakumar owns seven acres of land adjacent to the airport. He said agriculture was the only source for his family to earn money. Anotherfarmer K Sumathi said that agriculture was the only occupation for them. "We don't know any other occupation other than agriculture," she said.
Manasa Rao’s article for the News Minute published on June 18, 2018 captures the essence of the fear and uncertainty and the will to save the community, fertile agricultural land, religious shrine and weaving livelihood, against the proposed acquisition of 567 acres of land [3]. People from the four villages of Sikkanampatti, Thumbipadi, Pottiyapuram and Kamalapuram, have been engaged for the last three years in this battle, and bearing the legal, physical and emotional costs for their right over their land.
Activists have been calling attention to the protests for over three years now. In order to highlight the woes of the villagers and lend visibility to the issue, they have brought politicians and actors to visit the area. And so, one leader after another has been visiting the town to express their solidarity with the people.
In June 2018, activists including Piyush Manush and Mansoor Ali Khan were arrested for protesting against the airport expansion as well as the Chennai- Salem Green corridor project [2].
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