State govt closes tap for BMIC land

State govt closes tap for BMIC land
Blocks Even Ryots From Transferring It; Grilled In House
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: The stand-off between the Karnataka government and Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) took another ugly turn on Thursday. The government ordered that no more sale deeds would be executed to transfer land to NICE, promoters of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor. The government also directed the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), the nodal agency for acquiring land for the project, not to issue no-objection certificates (NOCs) to farmers to facilitate transfer of land.
The government had, on July 28, filed an additional affidavit in the Supreme Court seeking permission to appoint the Global Infrastructure Consortium (GIC), in place of NICE, to complete the BMIC project. The affidavit will be taken up when NICE’s contempt petition against the government for not releasing land comes up for hearing.
Demanding an explanation over the suspension of KIADB secretary K Sridhar on July 24 for issuing an NOC to BMIC, opposition members in the legislative assembly demanded a House committee probe into KIADB affairs. Major and medium industries minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, justifying the suspension, informed the House that Sridhar had executed a sale deed without informing the government.
“Sale deeds have been issued thrice ever since BMICPA was constituted. On two occasions, the government was informed; but on the third occasion, recently, he (Sridhar) failed to inform the government. Every official has to follow the rules while performing his duty,’’ Naidu maintained. The KIADB has been issuing such certificates to farmers since 2004. On the demand for a legislature committee or an inquiry commission to look into KIADB affairs, Naidu said a departmental inquiry has already been ordered; chief minister H D Kumaraswamy will decide on other inquiries.
However, K Jayaprakash Hegde (independent) and R Roshan Baig (Congress) wanted to know why a junior officer was suspended while the ‘sharks’ — senior officers — were let off for executing the sale deed. Naidu replied that Sridhar had done so without bringing it even to his senior officer’s notice. When contacted, NICE promoter Ashok Kheny declined to comment on the issue saying the matter is before the apex court.
Naidu said the government — under attack for alleged irregularities over the land acquisition-allotment procedure followed by KIADB — has decided to amend the KIADB Act. It has sought the industries department’s opinion on amendment to the Act. Naidu said farmers are facing hardship because there was no time for the government to pay the price for the acquired land after it was notified.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com
PROBE SOUGHT
l Oppn demands explanation over suspension of KIADB secretary
l On demand for investigation into KIADB affairs, minister Katta Subramanya Naidu says departmental probe is already on
ZERO-SUM GAME
July 24: KIADB secretary K Sridhar suspended for issuing NOCs for giving land to NICE July 28: State government seeks Supreme Court’s permission to replace NICE with a USbased consortium Aug 2: State government virtually bans transfer of land to NICE for BMIC Project Net result: Phase I of BMIC yet to be completed because of dillydallying by government on land release