In reply to RTI, residents near airport told not to ask ‘questions’

Times of India: Chennai: Wednesday, November 22, 2017.

Anxious residents trying to get details of land acquisition for airport expansion are being made to run from pillar to post as the information sought by them through Right to Information (RTI) has either been redirected to other bodies or denied under the RTI Act, 2005.

Plots of land have been recognised at Kolapakkam, Manapakkam, Pallavaram Cantonment, Pozhichalur, Pammal and CowlBazaar for airport expansion but notification details except for Kolapakkam and Manpakkam are not available for public use.

"Residents are spending sleepless nights for not knowing if their land and property would be acquired. Federation of Pozhichalur Welfare Association had sent RTI appeal to various addressees - Kancheepuram collector, airport director, DGCA, state chief secretary among others seeking information on the proposed land acquisition for the Chennai airport surrounding Pozhichalur and Cowl Bazaar. But we have not got replies from even a single body," said T Ravindranathan, a resident of Pozhichalur.

While the state government directed the RTI query to the transport department, the reply from the latter stated that information would not be provided under section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005. According to the act, a PIO is expected to provide 'information' as definedunder section 2(f) of the RTI Act and not answer questions of the applicant.

The RTI request to Airports Authority of India directed the residents to seek a response from the special district revenue officer (land acquisition) of Chennai Airport Expansion Scheme in Sriperumbudur.

"Instead of themselves redirecting theRTI query to the concerned body, they are sending an RTI reply to us to direct the query," added Ravindranthan.

"Instead of working for the public, the government is making lives difficult for the common man. We have lived in this area for years and suddenly we know that it has been earmarked for airport expansion. But the government does not want to directly answer our queries or allay our fears regarding our property," said Suresh of State Bank colony.

RTI activist Siva Elango said questions like "What is the deadline set for the project?" or "How much money has been allocated?" will inevitably be asked followed by question marks.