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]. 

However, between its construction in 1993 to as late as 2018, the airport has been lying in disuse for over two decades.

The MoCA needed additional of 570 acres to expand the airport. "If we get that additional 570 acre lands, we could lay runways up to 8,000 sqft to accommodate Boeing aircrafts," said an official from Salem Airport. He said warehouse and providing hanger services to provide maintenance to aircrafts would be set up in 100 acres.

The newly proposed expansion falls under the Udan scheme, an initiative jointly funded by the Central and state governments across India that aims to 'let the common citizen fly'. The government has pumped in Rs 4,500 crore for the scheme. While the Centre will offer a lowered VAT, service tax and flexible code sharing, the state will subsidise jet fuel, provide security, fire service, electricity, water and land. The government hopes to increase regional connectivity and facilitate the growth of jobs and infrastructure

In March this year, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami inaugurated the revamped airport. The airport now operates one commercial flight to and from Chennai.

The expansion is a part of the initiative of the Tamil Nadu state government for expanding six airports in the state, in Tuticorin, Trichy, Salem, Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai [4].