The farmers’ organisations in Gadag district opposing acquisition of their farmland to set up a steel plant by South Korea’s Posco at Halligudi are all set to intensify their stir. Various farmers’ groups, supported by opposition parties in the state assembly and heads of religious mutts in the district are planning to stage a massive protest from Halligudi to Gadag on July 18.
President of Mundargi Taluk Abhivruddhi Horata Vedike Y R Goudar said farmers of Halligudi and adjoining villages are planning to launch a procession from Halligudi to Gadag to protest against the acquisition of their land on July 18. Heads of two prominent lingayat mutts in Mundaragi and Gadag have also expressed their support to the farmers.
“The farmers are not willing to sell their land. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) and industries minister Murugesh Nirani are lying that majority farmers are interested to sell their land. We oppose land acquisition and are firm on our stand,” he said.
The opposition Janata Dal (Secular) leaders led by M C Nanaiah submitted a memorandum to governor H R Bharadwaj here today and demanded the government to drop acquisition of fertile land in Halligudi. About 200 farmers held a protest march in Mundaragi and submitted another memorandum to the tahsildar. Their main demand was to drop land acquisition in Halligudi and provide irrigation facilities to the villages.
Meanwhile, the KIADB completed the individual hearing of the farmers which have objected to land acquisition, in Dharwad on Monday. Of the 536 farmers identified for acquisition, a majority of 63 per cent of farmers (339 farmers) has given their consent to sell their land. About 197 farmers have filed their objections at the individual hearing before the special land acquisition officer of KIADB in Dharwad.
The KIADB has proposed to acquire 3,382 acres of farmland at Halligudi village in Mundaragi taluk of Gadag district to set up the steel plant by Posco.
The KIADB has issued preliminary notices under Section 28 (1) of KIADB Act to 532 farmers in Halligudi village of Mundaragi taluk in Gadag district. With completion of individual hearing of the farmers who have objected to land acquisition, the KIADB will submit the report to the government soon. This would be followed by the issue of notice notification for conducting joint measurement of the notified land under Section 28 (3), official sources said.
“We have completed the individual hearing of farmers who had initially objected for acquiring their land. During the week-long hearing from July 4-11, 2011, a majority of farmers have given their consent to part with their land. We will send a report to the state government very soon and it is left to the government to take a final decision on continuing with the acquisition process or drop it,” KIADB officials told Business Standard.
South Korean steel giant, Posco has proposed to set up a 6 million tonne per annum integrated finex steel plant with 400 Mw captive power plant at an investment of Rs 32,336 crore. The company has deposited Rs 60 crore with KIADB towards the land acquisition. The department of mines has also completed the hearing and recommended to the Central government for prior approval to allot captive iron ore mines to the company.
