Date:26/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/26/stories/2008092659110300.htm

Karnataka

Hardware park: farmers insist on higher price for land

Staff Reporter

Rs. 45 lakh to Rs. 60 lakh offered per acre; KIADB final notification issued

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

NO COMPROMISE: Farmers of Bagalur and surrounding villages who walked out of a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner in Bangalore on Thursday.

BANGALORE: Farmers who are set to lose their land for Hardware Technology Park near Bengaluru International Airport have refused to accept the compensation fixed by the Government.

On Thursday, the agitated farmers walked out of a meeting with the district administration terming the compensation as too meagre.

The district administration had convened the meeting to discuss the compensation to be awarded to land losers at Bagalur, Mahadevakodigehalli and Hoovinayakanalli villages of Jala hobli in Bangalore North taluk where the hardware technology park is proposed to be established on an area of 869.09 acres.

The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has issued final notification for acquisition of land.

Farmers said Deputy Commissioner G.N. Nayak, who chaired the meeting, announced the compensation for land losers.

According to farmers, the people in Bagalur would get Rs. 60 lakh an acre while those of Hoovinayakanahalli and Mahadevakodigehalli would receive Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 45 lakh respectively.

When farmers wanted the compensation amount to be on a par with the prevailing market price, the Deputy Commissioner asked them to approach the Government, as it was beyond his powers to increase the compensation amount.

Raitha Horata Samiti convenor D.S. Gowda told The Hindu that the prices fixed for land was unacceptable to farmers as the area was in a prime locality close to the city.

“In fact, the Government fixed Rs. 57 lakh an acre as compensation for farmers who lost their land to aerospace spare parts cluster, which was adjacent to the land that is to be acquired for hardware park,” he added.

Mr. Gowda said: “We are willing to talk to the Government only on the condition that there will be revision in prices.”

Special Land Acquisition Officer of KIADB T.P. Muninarayanappa was present.