While the Yeddyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka is embroiled in a land scam, farmers are up in arms against the acquisition of their lands for industrial use in Mysore district. They have alleged that the government was acquiring 25,000 acres of land.
Dismissing their allegation, authorities have come out with a statement saying that they were acquiring 8,520 acres in the district as a mutual consent of farmers.
The clarification has come in the wake of protests by farmers that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) was acquiring huge stretches of land, including fertile lands, in the taluks to create a ‘land bank’.
Farmers and pro-farmers’ organisations which are vehemently opposing the acquisition moves, have been voicing their protest. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, the Raitha Krishikara Sanghatane and the All India Democratic Students’ Organisations are among those opposing the move.
The Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore (ACICM), the latest to join the issue, has strongly criticised the Government’s decision and submitted a memorandum to the governor questioning the need to acquire 25,000 acres when ‘a large number of industries were either shut or sick in Mysore’.
The Development Officer and Special Land Acquisition Officer of the KIADB and the District Industries Centre Joint Director maintained in a joint statement on Thursday that only 991.11 had been acquired so far since 2006. These lands had been handed over to various industrial units. Another 7,007.21 acres of land were being acquired in the four taluks of Nanjangud, Hunsur, Mysore and H D Kote.
Of the 7,007 acres, preliminary notification had been issued in respect of 4,478 acres in the H D Kote and Hunsur taluks to create a land bank for providing lands to investors. The balance of 2,529 acres was being acquired for establishing industries.
For the expansion of the Mandakalli Airport in Mysore, 362.27 acres was already acquired. Proposal has been made for acquisition of another 159.07 acres for the national highway scheme.
Industries benefiting from lands already acquired are the United Breweries (69.12 acres), Apto Circuit (32.29 acres) and Jubiliant Brewereis (30.22 acres), all in Nanjangud taluk.
Industries to get lands for which acquisition process is in progress include Eagle Burg and Sky Top in Mysore taluk and Raman Fibres in H D Kote taluk.
Affected farmers are claiming that their lands were fertile and their livelihood depended upon those lands. At a recent meeting convened by the KIADB, they conveyed their unwillingness to part with their lands.
Farmers of H D Kote held a meeting on November 16 and resolved to launch an agitation to oppose the government’s move. Addressing the farmers, ACICM Covener M Lakshmana and former minister M Shivanna alleged that the authorities were intending to acquire 25,000 acres for a ‘land bank’ as directed by the government to create land banks in each district. They called upon the farmers to fight the move unitedly not being lured by the money offered by the Government.
