Farmers oppose land acquisition at Bidadi

Farmers oppose land acquisition at Bidadi

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: A Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) petition by Sri Ranganatha Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti against the proposed move by the State Government to acquire agricultural lands in and around Bidadi in Ramanagara district for the Knowledge City.

The samiti claimed that the State had entrusted the Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA) with the task of acquiring lands for the construction of five townships around Bangalore even before it had received environmental clearance. Moreover, the proposed township was adjacent to another similar township conceived under the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway Corridor project.

It said that State had on October 18, 2006 proposed the five townships in Bangalore metropolitan area and even called for global tenders. More than 60,000 acres of land was sought to be acquired for the project and said such large-scale acquisition would not only bring down agricultural production but also lead to unemployment in the farm sector.

The samiti said the PIL was only against the township at Bidadi and urged court to stay it, saying that it could cause immense ecological damage.

The State and the BMRDA have defended the project, saying that the project would decongest Bangalore.

The former Advocate-General and senior counsel, Uday Holla, who is appearing for the BMRDA, said the agency had come up with an exhaustive and comprehensive relief and rehabilitation scheme for those whose lands would be acquired. For every acre a person surrendered, he would be eligible for 8,000 square feet of developed land.

A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Cyriac Joseph, and Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri admitted the petition.