MANGALORE: A meeting convened here on Wednesday to fix the rate for the land proposed to be acquired by the Government for the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in Permude, Bajpe and Kalavaru villages, failed to arrive at a consensus, according to sources.

The meeting was attended by Manorama Madhwaraj, MP; Krishna J. Palemar, MLA; H.V. Parshwanath, Deputy Commissioner; officials of the Karanataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) and ONGC-MRPL, office-bearers of Bajpe, Permude, Kalavaru Santrasthara Samyutka Hitarakshana Samithi and people from the three villages.

People, including elected representatives, opposed the move to fix the rate between Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 4 lakh an acre. While acquiring land at Phajir-Kairangala (near Konaje) for the proposed Information Technology Special Economic Zone project, the Government had agreed to pay between Rs. 6.5 lakh and Rs. 7.5 lakh an acre, they said.

The land at Phajir-Kairangala is dry. But at Permude, Bajpe and Kalavaru, it was fertile agricultural land. Hence the Government should pay a minimum of Rs. 12 lakh an acre, they said.

The Deputy Commissioner said the Government could only pay a maximum of Rs. 7.5 lakh an acre. He said he would convey the demand to the Government.

Ms. Madhwaraj said the Government should pay a reasonable amount as compensation. Otherwise, people would be forced to reconsider their decision on providing land for the project, she said. The land proposed to be acquired was the ancestral property of many, and the villages had many places of worship of "nagaradhane" and "bhootaradhane''. People had emotional attachment to the land, sources said.

Sources said that in the first phase, the Government had proposed to acquire 600 acres in the three villages.

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