IN DEMAND: Agricultural land around Mysore is shrinking owing to proliferation of industries. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: Land acquisition by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) in Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar for industrial development allegedly at low rates has created discontentment among farmers in the three districts.

Protesting against KIADB acquiring land to the tune of 1,500 acres in Belagola, Bastipura villages of Srirangapatna taluk at, what they termed, a rate lower than the market rate, more than 200 farmers staged demonstration at the KIADB office in Mysore recently. They urged the authorities concerned to either stop acquiring land or pay compensation more than the existing market rate.

Perturbed by what farmers described reckless acquisition of agriculture land at low rates by KIADB, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and the Raitha Yuva Horata Samithi have decided to hold a protest rally in front of KIADB on Thursday.

According to authorities of KIADB, agriculture land to the tune of 5,288 acres in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts and 542 acres in Mandya district had been acquired and it was prepared to pay Rs. 9 lakh for irrigated land and Rs. 9.75 lakh for alienated land.

Convener of Farmers' Association, Srirangapatna, Yatish Raj told The Hindu that KIADB authorities, who quoted low rates earlier, had now conceded to increase the compensation amount. But farmers were not prepared to accept the price quoted by authorities and they now had a set of demands for sacrificing their land for development.

Migration of farmers

Demanding a White Paper on the total extent of land acquired by KIADB in the State and companies that were allocated the land, KRRS president K.S. Puttanniah alleged that the Karnataka Development Front Government, which was claiming to be pro-farmer, was adopting anti-farmer policies and its decision to acquire land for industrialisation was forcing mass migration of farmers.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, he accused the Government of misusing the agriculture land acquired for industrial purpose. "KIADB has acquired land to the extent of 35,000 acres in various parts of the State for industrial development and allotting it for other purposes. For instance, the board has allocated 103 acres of agriculture land for developing a golf club in Hubli," he said. While on the one side KIADB was acquiring farmland, on the other land sharks and politicians were grabbing land of the poor, he said.

He alleged that while private parties were prepared to pay Rs. 50 lakh to 60 lakh an acre in Yelwala, Koorgalli, Maidanahalli of Mysore taluk, Belagola, Mogarahalli, Anaganahalli, Havverahalli, Bastipura, Hulikere, Beechanakuppe villages in Srirangapatna taluk, the KIADB was offering Rs. 9 lakh an acre.

Writer Devanuru Mahadeva and farmer's leaders, including K.S. Nanjunde Gowda and Nagendra, would participate in the rally, he said.

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