K'taka begins land acquisition for Tata Motors at Dharwad

The state government has issued notification for acquisition of an additional 300 acres of land near Belur off Dharwad to be allotted to Tata Motors for setting up its unit there.

Disclosing this to reporters here on Saturday, deputy chief minister BS Yadiyurappa said Tata Motors had shown interest in setting up unit at Dharwad and the government was ready to provide necessary infrastructure.

Tata Motors already has 600 acres of land in their possession and requires another 300 acres. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board has been entrusted with the task of acquiring the land. The proposed unit would manufacture luxury buses, light motor vehicles and spare parts.

Minister for large industries Katta Subrahmanya Naidu said the government had identified land at Hubli for establishing a permanent venue for industrial and trade exhibition.

Water resources minister KS Eshwarappa, referring to the statement made by AICC president Sonia Gandhi during her election campaign at Goa that her party if voted to power would not allow diversion of Mahadayi water to Malaprabha river in Karnataka, said the state government would initiate contempt of court proceedings against Sonia Gandhi.

Karnataka had sought diversion of Mahadayi water under the Kalasa Banduri nala project to cater to the drinking water needs of North Karnataka districts and the Centre had approved the project in principle. The National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has also given the green signal for the project.

Meanwhile, the Goa government had raised objection resulting in the Centre keeping the approval in abeyance. The matter has reached the Supreme Court now.

Eshwarappa said since the matter was in court, Sonia's statement amounted to contempt of court and also violated the election model code of conduct. "We will also write to the Election Commission," he said.