Salem expressway: Drones used for surveying lands

Salem: After the regular land survey for the proposed Salem-Chennai green corridor expressway project, district officials on Friday pressed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to survey the area.

Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and State Revenue department began an aerial survey of the area already identified for land acquisition with the help of drones today, to ensure accuracy in the extent of land needed for the project, sources told DC.

The UAV flew over surveyed lands in villages including Erumapalayam, Udayapatty, Kuppanur and Achanguttapatty where boundary stones have been already fixed during the manual survey and took pictures.

An official said, "the aerial survey will help to estimate the number of coconut, palm and mango trees, besides other crops and properties, which would be affected. Using the video, a blueprint for the project will be prepared and sent to the State and Central government officials for further scrutiny." But the drones over their heads caused a flutter among the already demoralized ryots.

Meanwhile, Revenue officials surveyed lands at Kanjamalai area and fixed boundary lines, sending another round of shock waves among farmers in Salem district. Kanjamalai, which is just 14-km from here, has substantial iron and copper ores.

The hill is 1,643 m above sea level and spread across 6,000 acres with over ten villages in its immediate surrounding areas.  Majority of the people in this region are engaged in farming activities.

Local residents suspect that the State government has signed an agreement with a private firm for excavating iron ore from the hills. They also alleged that the highway project was also aimed at facilitate transport of  iron ore from the hill.

Even as this shocked local residents, when they came to know that Revenue officials had already surveyed lands near the hills two months ago and fixed boundary stones for 96 acres of land, what added to their anxiety was “rumours” about the surveyed land being taken up for setting up a defence project. 
Some local residents said that learnt a spare parts production unit of the Defence Ministry was planned there.

They said the about 1,300 acres of land already acquired for an industrial site at Irumbalai near Salem could be taken up for the Defence sector and other new projects, asking why lands at Kanjamalai hills should be disturbed. The latest development has virtually created panic among the locals there, who asserted that they will not allow any such project at Kanamalai and even threatened to commit suicide if “we are forced to accept the project.”