Karnataka - Mysore   

Farmers stage protest asking MUDA for residential sites

Staff Correspondent

They threaten indefinite strike if issue is not resolved in a month

MAKING A PLEA: Deputy Commissioner S. Selvakumar listening to the grievances of farmers in Mysore on Saturday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: Scores of farmers, whose land has been acquired by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) for developing residential layouts, stormed the MUDA offices here on Saturday to protest the "failure" of the authorities in providing them the promised sites and increased compensation amount.

The farmers of Sathgalli, Lalithadripura, Ramahanalli, Yandahalli, Yaraganahalli and other villages said that the MUDA had acquired their farmlands almost eight to ten years ago at prices ranging from Rs. 75,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh an acre. "But the farmers are yet to be allotted the promised residential sites and the increased compensation amount", said Mahadevaswamy, a farmer who has lost his land in Lalithadripura.

More than 2,000 acres of land on the outskirts of the city have been acquired by the MUDA from farmers in the past 8-10 years. Many farmers, whose lands were acquired in 1997, received a paltry compensation ranging from Rs. 75,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh an acre in 2003-04.

"The farmers have approached the court for a higher compensation. Although the MUDA promised to allot sites to us, they have failed to do so", Mr. Mahadevaswamy said.

Although it was mandatory for the MUDA to allot one residential site for every acre of land acquired in addition to the compensation, the authorities had failed to abide by the statutory provision, the farmers alleged.

"The MUDA has formed layouts and allotted sites to the people. But, our pleas for sites and enhanced compensation have been ignored," they said.

The farmers, who began gathering in front of MUDA offices in the morning, barged into the ground floor of the MUDA building and also tried to reach the first floor where the offices of senior officials are located.

But the police swung into action and prevented the protesters from reaching the first floor. A verbal duel broke out between the villagers and the police over the issue.

Deputy Commissioner S. Selvakumar, who is also MUDA chairman, reached there and listeend to the grievances of the villagers. He promised that their problems would be addressed within a month. The matter would be brought to the notice of the Government and a decision taken soon, he said.

Strike threat

The farmers withdrew their agitation, but warned the MUDA authorities that they would launch an indefinite strike if the issue was not resolved within a month.

Although the issue of higher compensation was pending before the court, the MUDA should allot sites immediately to the farmers whose land had been acquired, Mr. Mahadevaswamy said.

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