From Rs 70 to Rs 60,000 cr

From Rs 70 to Rs 60,000 cr
Deccan Herald

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has called for a public debate on the proposed legislation to take over the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC)project from Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE)....

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has called for a public debate on the proposed legislation to take over the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project from Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE).

Speaking on the sidelines of Bangalore Bio-2006, Mr Kumaraswamy said the government will consider public opinion as well as previous judicial decisions with regard to the BMIC before bringing out comprehensive legislation.

He said the government was motivated to take this step because several farmers, who lost their land to the BMIC project at throw-away prices, are now feeling dejected.

“NICE had a capital fund of only Rs 70 when they started. Within 12 years, they now own lands worth over Rs 60,000 crore at the cost of farmers’ interests. We are determined to provide justice to the wronged farmers and there is no question of going back now. We will not remain quiet when injustice is being meted out in the name of development by some vested interests. The BMIC is not a prestige issue for us,” Mr Kumaraswamy said. Meanwhile, NICE has claimed it is clueless about any “excess land” that the government has alleged they are attempting to acquire.

NICE sources say the company has no idea how the government arrived at a figure of 2,000 acres of excess land around the 41-km peripheral ring road. According to them, NICE requires around 950 acres for the completion of the first phase, which includes the ring road, the 9.1-km link road connecting the expressway to State Highway 17, the 12-km Bangalore-Mysore expressway to Bidadi and one township. The government had given preliminary notification for 20,193 acres in 1998-99, of which the final notification was given for 2,568 acres. However, the government has transferred only 2,000 acres till now, they claim.

“We don’t know why the government is again creating a controversy. The government itself had sanctioned the plans for truck terminals and the theme park in 2003. We are prepared to go to court, but we are waiting for official correspondence from the government before planning our future course of action,” a NICE official said.

Meanwhile, a senior JD(S) leader said that the NICE claims are “exaggerated”. “NICE, according to the initial agreement, had said they required 278 acres of land for the link road and 1,600 acres for the peripheral ring road. The government has already transferred 1,931 acres, and another 3,000 acres are in various stages of the final notification. On the whole, they are now seeking to acquire about 5,000 acres of land in Bangalore North and South taluks, because it is prime property,” he said.

BJP discussions

It is learnt that a section of BJP ministers met in Bangalore on Wednesday and held discussions on the proposed legislation.

The ministers are said to have discussed whether the party should stick to its “go-slow” stand on the legislation.

A few ministers are learnt to have argued that the party should support the legislation and not sour its relationship with its coalition partner, the JD(S).