Over one lakh acres of farm land acquired for Township Projects

Bangalore, July 12 (UNI) Ever since the present Janata Dal (Secular) -Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government assumed power, it has notified over one lakh acres of farm land for various township projects in Bangalore Urban and Rural districts, Opposition Leader in Karnataka Legislative Council H K Patil charged in the house today.

Speaking on the preliminary submission over the Adjournment motion issued to the Chair seeking discussion on the issue of indiscriminate acquisition of farm land for townships projects by the State Government Mr Patil charged that all norms had thrown to wind in sanctioning the proposals.

Quoting the state government's decision to sanction over 1000 acres of land to M/s Gandhi City for Advanced R&D Ltd, Mr Patil informed the House that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, a nodal agency to acquire land for the Industries has already taken measures hand-over the land for the applicant. The Gandhi City company had acquired over 10000 acres of land near Mumbai in Maharashtra ostensibly for industries had failed to keep its promise and sold it for Reliance. The Gandhi city company was sanctioned huge land in Karantaka for the establishment of SEZ Infrastructure for R&D Centre, IT Park with Residential Township, he said.

Mr Patil said that when he had brought this to the notice of the public, both Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his Deputy B S Yediyurappa had denied it. To facilitate acquisition of 1000 acres of land the KIADB had instructed Gandhi City authorities to pay a deposit of Rs 21 crore to initiate land acquisition, he said.

Charging that the state government had notified fertile land near Nandagudi village in the vicinity of Bangalore International Airport, Mr Patil charged that the government agencies were forcing the inhabitants of the villages to part their land in favour of land developers. Mr Patil also informed that since 1956 till 2005 only about 16,668 acres of land had been acquired for Industrial purpose whereas during last 17-months over one lakh acres of farm land has been notified by the state government.

Higher Education Minister and House leader Mr D H Shankara Murthy denying the opposition charges said that opposition members were misleading the house by presenting false information. The acquisition of land for industrial purposes was not new. The state government has taken enough measures to protect the interests of the farmers who loses their land and no rules have been violated. The State government was following guidelines issued by the Union government strictly on the issue. While stating that the issue does not warrant for discussion on adjournment motion and said that government was ready to discuss on different rules.

Mr Aravinda Limbavali (BJP), Mr V S Ugrappa, Mr V R Sudarshan (Both Cong) also spoke on the preliminary submission on the adjournment motion, which was rejected by Mr Mukya Mantri Chandru who was in the chair. The issue can be taken for discussion under different rules tomorrow or Monday. He also adjourned the house for tomorrow.

UNI