DMK MLA from Singanallur Constituency in Coimbatore, N. Karthik on Monday urged the District Collector seeking alternative benefits for the residents of SIHS Colony from whom lands were taken for airport expansion.

The MLA accompanied the residents of the SIHS Colony to the Collectorate, where they submitted a petition to the Collector. They requested the administration not to take away the land from them and added that if the lands were taken, they should be immediately relocated else where.

“The administration should construct individual houses for the residents within the corporation limits in the already sanctioned three cent land,” the petition read.

One of the residents claimed that if the administration failed to relocate them or construct houses, they should be given compensation. “The administration should pay according to the market value for our lands. Only then can we make sure that our livelihood is not disturbed,” he said.

Notably, residents and farmers of the SIHS colony gheraoed officials on Monday, who attempted to construct a wall as a part of the airport expansion.