Nice feeling for farmers

Nice feeling for farmers
Deccan HErald

This perhaps makes for an interesting aside: Even as the Government has taken NICE head-on over the ‘excess land’ issue for the ‘welfare of farmers’, the thousands of farmers gathered at the inauguration of the first stretch of BMIC peripheral ring road ....

This perhaps makes for an interesting aside: Even as the Government has taken NICE head-on over the ‘excess land’ issue for the ‘welfare of farmers’, the thousands of farmers gathered at the inauguration of the first stretch of BMIC peripheral ring road did not seem to be complaining, on Friday.

“I would not be wearing gold bangles if NICE had not constructed a road here. Nobody bothered about us for years, it is because of the corridor that the land prices rose here. I sold 20 acres of my family property, and got good returns for it,” said Gowramma, a resident of Somapura.

The threat of road blocks given by agitating farmers of Hemmigepura and Somapura is the handiwork of few farmers with vested interests, believed Venkatesh, a member of the Hemmigepura village panchayat who gave 10 acres of land. Venkatesh, in fact, blamed the local leaders for “misguiding the farmers”.

Meanwhile, another farmer M Narayanappa, who gave over two acres of land, welcomed the newly-inaugurated road project. “The corridor has provided employment to the youth of our villages. We are happy that our village is now getting attention, thanks to the road,” says Narayanappa.

Brothers Uttam and Guru Shankarappa who claim that the clover leaf loop of the ring road has been built over their land, said they were happy to contribute towards a public cause. “This project will immensely help people in Bangalore and Mysore. The travel time of two hours will be reduced to 15-20 minutes. We are looking forward to the completion of the project,” he said.

Joy ride

However, there were some, like this 50 member group from Kengeri, who came for the inauguration only to enjoy a free ride. “We have not given up any land. We do not stay here. One of our villagers said there will be entertainment here, and provided us with transport, so we came,” explained Lakshmamma, one of the group members.

Hi-tech show

The road was a stage at the inauguration venue of the BMIC peripheral ring road, on Friday. Youths dressed in tiger skins, dholu kunnita dancers nimbly jumping to the beats of the red costumed drummers, yakshagana artistes flaunting their dramatic make-up - a carnival fiesta ruled the crowded infrastructure corridor. Children joined in with 58 students in a fancy dress parade and even participated in the inauguration ceremony. Most of the ‘guests’, comprising farmers of neighbouring villages, were attracted more by the entertainment factor than the inauguration itself.

Her moment of fame

93-year-old Sharadamma had her moment of fame when she inaugurated the first 9 km stretch of the BMIC peripheral ring road on Friday. Her husband Kannadanappa of Tirumalapura made history decades ago. He happened to be the first revenue officer of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

Exaggerated figure

NICE’s claims of “over 350 IAS officers, more than 100 cabinet meetings and nearly 10,500 signatures from government officials on various letters in the last 10 years of the project” did not go down well with the media. As one reporter quipped to NICE MD Ashok Kheny, “There are only 256 officers in the IAS cadre, how come your files have passed through 350 officials?” Kheny ducked the question saying, “most are transferred, retired or dead” only raised a laugh in the press conference.

Not game

A reporter’s query landed him in an embarrassing spot. “Mr Kheny, the Government is trying to take over your project, are you game for it?” he asked. Mr Kheny, always quick on the rhetoric, responded, “The Government wants to take over your house, are you game for it?”

Kheny apologises

NICE accused the Government of creating obstacles even on the inaugural day. According to Kheny, the company had hired 250 KSRTC buses to ferry villagers. However, in the last moment, KSRTC refused to give the buses.

The company had to then booked 200 private buses for transportation. “My apologies to those villagers who wanted to come, but could not. I will not depend on the KSRTC when we inaugurate the completed first phase of the project,” Kheny said.

No ‘excess’, says Revanna

Former Public Works Minister and MLA H D Revanna on Friday challenged his detractors to order any probe against him if they feel that he had erred in following procedures while dealing with the BMIC promoters as PWD minister.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Mr Revanna remarked that “I have executed my responsibilities as PWD minister within the framework of the law.”

He maintained that excess land had not been allotted to the promoters of the BMIC project when he was PWD minister.