Government `Nice' deal: Return excess land, take project

Government `Nice' deal: Return excess land, take project
NEw Indian Express

BANGALORE : The JD (S)-BJP coalition regime may give a last chance to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) to return the excess land it has acquired and go ahead with the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project (BMIC).

Else, the government will go ahead with its Bill proposing a take-over of the project.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, after consultations with BJP leaders, decided to explore all options before striking at the NICE with a law. The softening of his stand is largely due to the pressure exerted by the BJP.

The BJP has okayed the government's moves but wants it to exhaust all options first.

The Chief Minister had plans to table the Bill during the ongoing two day Special Legislature Session convened to amend the Karnataka Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act 1957.

The Bill is expected to be tabled in the Budget session scheduled to commence later this month, if the latest offer does not work. The latest deal is that NICE can proceed with the project if it does not demand 2,450 acres of excess land, which was not mentioned in the original framework agreement. But the NICE has written four letters to the Revenue Department demanding this land citing the recent Supreme Court order.

The Chief Minister's revised stand follows a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar and JD (S) state president M P Prakash along with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

Official sources said the BJP leaders were apprehensive about the Bill and requested Kumaraswamy to go slow on the issue in view of the Supreme Court verdict. Though, the draft of the Bill is almost ready, it still requires scrutiny on certain measures. Besides, the draft of the Bill has to be sent to the Law Department for its opinion. These processes will be completed in two weeks, sources said.

The Bill proposes a take-over of the project if NICE does not agree to part with the 2,450 acres of excess land it had been demanding to pursue its real estate interests. Sources said that, in the original framework agreement, there was no mention of the excess land demanded by NICE.

They added that the proposed Bill is being prepared by taking shelter under certain Supreme Court orders of the past. They said that the apex court had held that the Legislature was supreme to enact any law including the termination of "contractual obligation."