Political interference in hardware park plans

Political interference in hardware park plans

Sharath S. Srivatsa

Lands earmarked for acquisition were left out based on politicians’ recommendations

Final notification for acquisition for 869 acres of land issued

Farmers without any connections were not lucky

BANGALORE: The State Government has exempted large tracts of land from being acquired in the vicinity of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), following the intervention of powerful politicians. But, for “unconnected” farmers it has not extended the same courtesy and they stand to lose all their lands.

The politicians who requested that certain tracts of land be exempted from acquisition include Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and the former Minister for Medium and Large Industries P.G.R. Sindhia.

“Several acres of land were left out from Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board’s (KIADB) acquisition process for Hardware Technology Park in Bagalur, Hoovinayakanahalli and Bandikodagehalli near the BIA according to Ministers’ recommendations,” said M.T. Raja Reddy, whose land has been acquired. The Government has already issued final notification for acquisition for 869 acres of land in these three villages, while the compensation for persons whose land has been acquired is yet to be fixed, he added.

According to documents obtained by farmers under the Right to Information Act and available with The Hindu, Mr. Singh had recommended “please not to include” 15 acres of land in Hoovanayakanahalli, after the Alphine Housing Development Corporation, an Indian Railway ancillary unit, approached him. Mr. Sindhia had recommended leaving out 26.2 acres of land in Hoovinayakanahalli and Bandikodagehalli from preliminary notification. Mr. Yeddyurappa, then in his capacity as Deputy Chief Minister, had suggested leaving out 160 acres of land in Bagalur village.

The documents show that the recommendations were given priority despite opposition from KIADB and Industries and Commerce Department officials. K.M. Shivakumar, the then Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, in his file noting, stated that these (recommended) pieces of land should not be left out from acquisition process since they were contiguous. He had said that this might result in farmers making similar requests. Requisition for dropping them could be considered during the acquisition process, Mr. Shivakumar had observed.

The KIADB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) had noted that leaving out 26 acres in Hoovinayakanahalli and Bandikodigehalli, as recommended by Mr. Sindhia, would affect the layout plan. The CEO stated that these lands were adjacent to the road that formed a natural boundary.

Regarding the recommendation by Mr. Yeddyurappa to leave out 160 acres from acquisition in Bagalur village that belonged to poor farmers, the KIADB Special Deputy Commissioner again felt that lands should not be left out as it was contiguous area.

Overlooking all these observations, preliminary notification was issued in December 16, 2006, after seeking approval from the then Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu. The notification left out 20 acres of land out of 26.22 acres, recommended by Mr. Sindhia.

Besides, 46.30 acres in Bagalur village (Mr. Yeddyurappa had recommended 160 acres) belonging to 19 farmers was also dropped citing that Aiman Agro, a floriculture export unit, had entered into an understanding with farmers for floriculture export. But farmers without any connections were not lucky. In this case, the KIADB’s acquisition officer claimed that their lands were not fit for agriculture.

Alphine Housing, recommended by Mr. Singh, benefited much later when the Government issued the final notification on April 10, 2008. Just before the final notification was issued, the Government issued a deletion notification on the same day in which 54 acres were dropped, including 15 acres that belonged to Alphine.

Mr. Reddy said, “If the yardstick that was used to drop lands from acquisition was applied uniformly, many other lands should have been dropped.”