No water, investors stay away

No water, investors stay away

Low Groundwater Table At Devanahalli Puts A Question Mark Over Many IT/ITeS Projects

S Kushala and Anil Kumar M | TNN


Bangalore: Some Rs 1,381 crore worth of IT/ITeS projects. Forty-two companies proposing to set up shop at the hardware park at a cost of Rs 709 crore. All at Devanahalli, the emerging aerotropolis.
But there is a jinx and the government better put up a board in Devanahalli: ‘No land, no water; investors stay away’.
The state-level single window clearance committee that is examining 95 projects related to IT/ITeS and hardware industries, all worth an investment of Rs 2,090 crore, is in a fix. Devanahalli does not have a good water source and the land acquisition hitches have not been solved.
The mines and geology department has declared Devanahalli and surrounding areas ‘grey’ where groundwater table has dipped to alarming levels. Even the firms have no definite plans about the water source. While BIAAPA and BWSSB have been asked to work on a plan, there is no solution in sight.
While taking Cauvery water to Devanahalli is a far-fetched idea, the only option is to utilize the treated water from Yelahanka tertiary treatment plant. But the plant can treat up to 10 MLD, and cannot feed all the projects.
The government initiated the land acquisition process for the aerotropolis — Airport City — when BIA was ready for commissioning, but there is no clarity on the issue due to bickering farmers. About 869 acres has been notified at three villages in Jala hobli, Bangalore North taluk, by the KIADB for the hardware park, which has started the land acquisition process in and around BIA.
While compensation has been paid in a few cases, farmers are yet to arrive at an understanding with KIADB on the compensation in many cases. Once this process is completed, the industrial area will take shape.
After a long deadlock over the compensation, the government and the farmers arrived at a consensus over the rates in December. KIADB officials met farmers from three villages — Bagalur, Hoovanayakanahalli and Mahadeva Kodigehalli — and finalized the rates at Rs 70 lakh per acre and Rs 60 lakh per acre.
“Besides land, there is scarcity of water in the region. As majority of the proposals are within Rs 50-crore limit, the single window clearance committee has to approve projects,’’ industries commissioner Rajkumar Khatri said. Waiting forever in a long queue
95
firms (53 IT/ITeS and 42 for hardware park) in queue Proposed investment of
Rs 2,090 crore Land requisition
480
acres Estimated generation of jobs
1.2
lakh
Categories
In IT/ITeS category, majority are for hotel industry (business class hotels, four and five star hotels), software development, technology park, serviced apartments, commercial warehousing, BPO, service activity for automobile workshop
For hardware park/Devanahalli Industrial Area, it is computer peripherals, sheet metal, plastic components, hand-held computers, billing machines, UPS power supply, etc