Karnataka - Bangalore   

BJP protests illegal sale of HMT land

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party members and residents of Jalahalli, on Saturday, protested against the Hindustan Machine Tools’ management alleged illegal sale of company land to private parties.

The protesters, led by former Minister R. Ashok, alleged that the HMT management was selling several pockets of land to private builders without permission from the Government. “This is happening despite the Government asking the management to stop such a sale in December 2006,” Mr. Ashok said. Of the 600 acres of land allotted by the State Government, the HMT management has sold about 100 acres, he added.

Mr. Ashok alleged that included among the sections of land sold by the management was the primary and secondary school where about 600 students are studying. “These students are from nearby places. The management has already cut off water supply and are not paying salaries to teachers. They are creating conditions leading to closure of the school which has been running for the past three decades,” he said.

M.V. Rajashekharaiah, a local resident, said the management started selling its land since 1996. He has repeatedly petitioned the State Government to stop such activity. “But the governments — right from J.H. Patel till H.D. Kumaraswamy — have failed to stop such activity. I want the Governor at least to initiate steps to protect the land given by poor farmers for development,” he said.

Mr. Rajashekhariah said the HMT management has already dug up a part of the 3-km-long Kalingaram Road. The roads in the area were not broad enough to handle the possible increase in traffic because of new apartments that were coming up.

A delegation of protesters led by Mr. Ashok later met the HMT management and asked for stopping of the selling of land. Mr. Ashok said he would ask the Central Government to initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry over the alleged illegal sale of land.

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