The Hindu : Front Page : Don’t be in a hurry to give land to NICE: Deve Gowda

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 03, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Don’t be in a hurry to give land to NICE: Deve Gowda

S. Rajendran

He writes to Yeddyurappa on the ramifications in expressway project case

BJP was a party to the decisions of the Kumaraswamy Government: Deve Gowda
Incumbent Chief Minister must abide by them and refrain from favouring NICE

H.D. Deve Gowda

BANGALORE: The former Prime Minister and President of the Janata Dal (Secular) H.D. Deve Gowda has cautioned the Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, against “hurrying through” in handing over the land sought by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), which is implementing the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway project.

Ramifications

Mr. Gowda, in a letter to the Chief Minister, highlighting various ramifications in the expressway project case, has said that handing over any land other than that specified in the Frame Work Agreement will tantamount to going against the orders of the Supreme Court and also invite the wrath of farmers.

“Why the hurry when the next hearing of the Supreme Court is scheduled on August 17?”

Imperative

He said: “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a party to the decisions of the previous coalition Government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy, and it is imperative for the incumbent Chief Minister to abide by the Cabinet decisions concerned and refrain from deviating in favour of the company which has been seeking land to complete the peripheral and link roads around Bangalore as part of Phase 1 of the expressway project.”

Violations

The former Prime Minister has been fighting against what he has termed violations in the implementation of the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway project and has urged the Chief Minister to immediately issue a deadline for the project promoters to commence work.

Fear

It is stated that the fear of the former Prime Minister is over the State Government reportedly calling for a meeting of the Empowered Committee on Tuesday.

The committee, comprising senior officials of the State Government headed by the Chief Secretary, has been constituted under the Frame Work Agreement for the project.

Approval

The decisions of the committee are placed before the Cabinet for formal approval.

A similar meeting was to have been held a few months ago, but was stalled in the last minute following the directions of the Election Commission since the State was then in election mode.

Mr. Gowda told The Hindu that the project should be implemented strictly in accordance with the directions —“in letter and spirit”— of the Supreme Court order of April 2006.

Framework

The project is being implemented by NICE, and the framework agreement for the project was signed in 1997.

The former Prime Minister said that the Government should adhere to the Cabinet decision of the Kumaraswamy Government wherein it was decided to adopt the Swiss Challenge method to invite new contractors to undertake major and long-pending projects (like the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway project). Prior to the adoption of the new infrastructure policy, the then Government wrote several letters to NICE to hasten the completion of the project in accordance with the Supreme Court orders.

Duty

“It is the duty of the present Government to ensure that such major development projects , particularly of road connectivity, are completed without further delay. Further, the expressway project should be in accordance with the orders of the apex court.”

Final call

Mr. Gowda said that the Yeddyurappa Government should take a final call on the project and refrain from “falling prey to any machinations or inducements.

The former Prime Minister’s advice to the Chief Minister comes in the light of the farmers of Mysore, Srirangapatna, Mandya, Maddur and Ramanagara coming together to stage protests if the Government went ahead in parting with additional land other than that required for the expressway.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page