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NT Bureau
Chennai, May 22:

        The Tamilnadu government today decided to set up a new greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur, even while the extension of the present Chennai Airport would be taken up at an alternative site (towards Sriperumbudur).

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced this today after presiding over a meeting of the Legislative Party Leaders at the Secretariat wherein a resolution to this effect was passed despite AIADMK's opposition.         Initially, the airport expansion was to be taken up at Pozhichalur. But with its own allies like the PMK and the Left parties opposing it, the government has decided to shift the location for the proposed new airport to Sriperumbudur taluk.         The Chennai Airport would be expanded towards Sriperumbudur- Manapakkam, Kolappakkam, Girugambakkam and Tharap-pakkam areas, Karunanidhi said and added that about 947 huts, concrete dwellings and tiled houses, would be affected by the expansion. The residents of these dwellings would be resettled. The Airport Authority of India is expected to commence its work shortly.

TIME FOR TAKE-OFF: The all-party meeting in Secretariat today.

        The Chief Minister said that the work on the construction of greenfield airport would simultaneously begin at the land identified at Sriperumbudur, Tiruvallur taluk. To a query, he said that about Rs 2000 crore would be spent on acquiring lands as well as for the construction of the airport.

        When asked whether the resolution was passed unanimously, he said that the AIADMK alone opposed the decision saying that the plan would affect people residing in the area.

        'And AIADMK representative D Jayakumar gave a petition to me on behalf of the people residing in the area,' he said and added that he told Jayakumar that his petition would be considered.
 

RS for Kanimozhi?         To a question on whether his daughter Kanimozhi would be given a Rajya Sabha seat, Karunanidhi's replied punning on her name, which in translation means 'sweet language'. He said that he would give the seat to whoever speaks sweetly.         Karunanidhi also clarified that the new Kalaignar TV, which is to be launched from 15 August, would have nothing to do with the DMK.         Asked what was the reason to float the channel, Karunanidhi niftily shot back at the reporter 'the reason is same as the one that prompted the question'.