IT Park: final notification for land acquisition out

IT Park: final notification for land acquisition out

Sharath S. Srivatsa

1,028 acres in four villages close to BIA have been notified

Preliminary notification was issued on

August 7, 2006

Farmers not hopeful of getting good compensation for their land

BANGALORE: Amidst allegations of inconsistencies in the land acquisition process for the Information Technology Park near Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), the Government has issued the final notification for acquiring 1,028 acres in four villages.

Though the final notification for acquisition was issued by the Department of Commerce and Industries on September 25, a large number of land-losers have not yet received the information, as notices to them are yet to be issued.

The notification has been issued for 1,028.19 acres in Bandikodigehalli (B.K.) Palya, Shingahalli, Arebinnamangala and Gollahalli villages, all in the vicinity of BIA.

The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had initiated acquisition proceedings after the Government issued a preliminary notification on August 7, 2006 for acquiring land in the four villages for development of the Information Technology Park.
Concerned

“With the notification, most farmers whose livelihood depends on the land would be ruined, as compensation would not help us to buy similar land in the vicinity,” A. Albert Victor, a sericulturist who will stand to lose 12 acres, told The Hindu.

He said: “The meeting to fix compensation for land-losers will be eyewash, and we are not hopeful of getting good compensation.”
46 acres left out

While the Government had prepared to notify 1,074 acres for setting up the Information Technology Park, the department has issued the final notification to only 1,028 acres, as seven landowners have obtained a stay from the High Court against acquisition of 46 acres that they own. According to some farmers, the Government has directed the Advocate-General to get the stay vacated as that would enable the Government to issue final notification for this land (46 acres) also.

The inconsistencies pointed out by the farmers include arbitrary recommendation to denotify some lands while ignoring genuine claims where houses, poultry farms, mango orchards and vineyards were notified. In fact, the special land acquisition officer had been castigated by the Government for ignoring the genuine cases. Farmers also claimed that the joint survey or joint measurement certificate (JMC) process by the Revenue and KIADB officials had not been done properly in B.K. Palya and Arebinnamangala villages.

Mr. Albert said: “Most land-losers here are small farmers and do not have the financial clout to fight the establishment. Many farmers are not even aware that the final notification has been issued already.” Despite petitioning the Government about the inconsistencies in the acquisition process, the final notification had been issued, he lamented.