The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Patil takes on Kumaraswamy with ‘proof’

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Friday, Jun 22, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Patil takes on Kumaraswamy with ‘proof’

Special Correspondent

Congress leader has said that the Government has been acquiring lands through KIADB to form SEZ

BANGALORE: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council H.K. Patil on Thursday has come out with documentary proof to substantiate his allegation that the State Government has been acquiring lands through the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to form a Special Economic Zone in Ramanagaram, the constituency represented by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in the Assembly.

The Chief Minister on Wednesday refuted the charges made by Mr. Patil stating that the KIADB had not been authorised to acquire 1,000 acres for the Gandhi City for Advanced Research and Development to establish the SEZ at Doddamannugudde Village, Kasaba Hobli of Ramangaram taluk in Bangalore Rural district.

Addressing presspersons after releasing a document on acquisition of lands by the KIADB for the Gandhi City, Mr. Patil alleged that “the Chief Minister is lying and issuing irresponsible statements on acquisition of lands.”

In the interest of the State, he demanded the Government to stop all land acquisition process immediately. “I expect you (Chief Minister) to close the chapter of acquiring lands from farmers to SEZs,” Mr. Patil said. The KIADB in a notice to the Director, Gandhi City for Advanced Research and Development, Bangalore, has requested it to deposit Rs. 16.05 crore towards tentative cost of the land and Board service charges through the demand draft drawn in favour of CEO, KIADB, Bangalore, for tacking further action in the matter.

The total cost of the land acquired to the Gandhi City is Rs. 52.64 crore, Mr. Patil claimed.

The Chief Minister had made the land allotments to even “dubious and fake” companies in the guise of promoting industrial ventures and SEZs which were allegedly using the prime lands for “real estate business” without tangible benefits neither to the people nor the State, he alleged.

The Kumaraswamy regime, according to Mr. Patil, acquired 20,556.33 acres for single unit complexes of industries in 2006-07 as against 1,089.04 acres in 2005-06, 1,902.15 acres in 2004-05, 376.20 acres in 2003-04, 1,323.16 acres in 2002-03, 2,097.24 acres in 2001-02 and 683.32 acres in 2001-02.

Topping all the allotments was the Cabinet decision on granting 12,350 acres of land at Nandagudi in Hoskote taluk of Bangalore Rural district for the Mumbai-based SKIL Infrastructure Ltd for developing a Rs. 1,500 crore multi-purpose SEZ, he alleged.

Mr. Patil accused the Government of not adhering to any norms and transparency in the decision, which has already attracted public criticism.

For industrial areas, the Kumaraswamy Government had acquired 27,932.26 acres against 1,588.21 acres in 2005-06, 1,620 acres in 2004-05, 163.28 acres in 2003-04, 350.02 acres in 2002-03, 503.28 acres in 2001-02 and 650.05 acres in 2000-01.

The KIADB has decided to hold a Board meeting on June 29 to decide the land acquisition process to a SEZ in Mangalore, he said.

The Congress would raise the land acquisition process by the Janata Dal (S)-BJP coalition Government in the coming session of the State legislature and put pressure on the Government to cancel the acquisition process, he said.

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