The Hindu : Karnataka News : Farmers demand more compensation

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Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Farmers demand more compensation

Shankar Bennur

544 acres acquired for seven SEZs at Koorgalli near Mysore

MYSORE: Even as the proposed special economic zone (SEZ) at Nandagudi near Bangalore has run into a controversy following the green signal from the State Cabinet, seven SEZs approved for Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) at Koorgalli near Mysore by the State-level Single Window Agency (SLSWA) and the State-level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) are facing opposition from farmers and residents.

The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which acquired 544 acres of land at the village for establishing the SEZs, has been accused of under quoting price and giving a raw deal to land losers. Now, farmers and residents are up in arms against the KIADB and are reportedly preventing the board authorities from launching work to develop land for the projects.

Although the SLSWA and SLSWCC had approved seven SEZs at Koorgalli, the land acquisition section of KIADB in Mysore says that the land at Koorgalli had been acquired for “industrial growth” and not specifically for the SEZs. But, according to the approval list, it is clear that SEZs were coming up at Koorgalli, although they are not as big as the one at Nandagudi.

When The Hindu contacted a senior official of Mysore District Industries Centre (DIC), he said: “I am not aware about SEZs. You can talk to the KIADB.”

Threat

The compensation awarded to the land losers, including several farmers, was Rs. 13 lakh per acre. Nevertheless, farmers, who are unhappy over the way their land had been acquired for the SEZs, were demanding higher compensation and threatening to stall development works on the land. Though sources in KIADB maintain that the land was in board’s possession, they said farmers were not allowing the board to launch road, power and water supply works on the land, accusing them of fixing a lesser price for their land when the market rate was over Rs. 40 lakh per acre.

Notwithstanding, the sources maintained that the Record of Tenancy Certificates (RTCs) of the acquired land were with the board and the compensation amount of the individual farmers and others had been deposited in court. “It is up to them to collect the compensation as the board had completed the formalities necessary under the land acquisition provisions of the KIADB Act,” said an officer of KIADB.

In fact, none of the land losers had collected compensation from the board, demanding higher compensation. “They are demanding Rs. 40 lakh per acre which is impossible to consider,” the officer noted.

“As per the guidelines set for land acquisition, we have fixed Rs. 13 lakh per acre for agriculture land and Rs. 14 lakh per acre for converted land. It is difficult to give more the price fixed,” he contended. The KIADB authorities here were under “pressure” from the higher authorities for executing development works on the land, but on the ground they are facing opposition from the farmers, who are bent upon getting higher compensation.

The sources disclosed that the KIADB authorities here had been directed to begin development work on the acquired land under police protection. “A time of six months has been set to complete the task,” the sources add. “The board may consider raising compensation slightly if the farmers agree to allow development work on the land immediately,” the sources disclosed.

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