Villagers continue stir against BMIC project

Bangalore, June 12 (UNI) About 200 farmers of Hemmigepura, on the outskirts of the city, continued their agitation for the third day today against the multicrore Bangalore-Mysore Expressway Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, taken up by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE).

The farmers were demanding, among other things, higher compensation for the land they had given up for the project and repair of roads leading to the village from Kengeri satellite town.

They accused NICE of having spoilt the roads leading to the village by plying tippers carrying materials for the construction of the expressway and failing to keep up the promise to repair the roads once the work was over in the area.

The ryots, along with their families, registered their protest in a novel way today by pitching tents right on the highway and spreading vegetables from their fields on the road.

They said they would continue their agitation till NICE fulfilled their demands.

On Saturday, a section of the first phase of the expressway, which was ready to be inaugurated on June 16, was allegedly dug up by the agitating farmers.

NICE had lodged a complaint with the police demanding action against those responsible for digging the road. However, no arrests had been made so far.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumarswamy told reporters here that he had directed the police to arrest those involved in the act of vandalism.

UNI RS RG GM1635