Farmers protest land acquisition process for KIADB estate project

Farmers said borewell water is available within 100 feet depth in the land and they would never get such land even if they paid more money

The farmers in Nanjanagudu near Mysuru on Sunday began their protest against the land acquisition process of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).

Farmers are strongly opposing the setting up of industrial estates as they would lose fertile lands. (Representative Image/HT Archive)

According to farmers, the KIADB officials planned to establish an industrial estate in Muddanahalli by acquiring 483 acres of land. But farmers are strongly opposing the setting up of industrial estates as they would lose fertile lands, they added.

“We have been living here for hundreds of years. The proposed land for the industrial estate is very fertile as it is getting irrigation from Kabini right bank canal. The farmers would not give away any land,” B Puttaswamy, a farmer, said.

“More than 250 families would lose their fertile lands. Now, we are taking up dairy farming, growing paddy, banana, and coconut on this land and living happily. But losing our ancestral land for money where we were born and brought up is painful. Hence, we have decided not to give the land,” he added. He said that the borewell water is available within 100 ft depth in the land, and the farmers would never get such land even if they paid more money.

“I had called a meeting of KIADB officers and farmers of Masage, Esu Gundla, Muddalli and Naviluru last month. But the majority of the farmers are not willing to give their lands for the industrial estate,” Nanjanagudu MLA Harsha Vardhan said.

“I have told officials to raise the compensation and instructed them to provide uniform compensation to all the farmers. The officers earlier decided to provide more compensation to the lands near the national highway and less for other lands. But now the KIADB has agreed to provide uniform compensation to all the lands,” he said, adding that he has suggested compensation of ₹40 lakh per acre, but the farmers near Mysuru are asking for more.

“I will meet chief minister Basavaraj Bommai soon and convey the resentment of the farmers. I will call another meeting and hear the grievance of the farmers. We will not take any land forcibly from farmers for any reason,” he added.

Executive engineer of KIADB Mysuru division N Murthy said, “The KIADB acquired 483 acres of land in Nanjanagudu taluk in 2005 itself. The compensation would be provided once KIADB takes the position of the land.”

The KIADB plans the construction of the industrial estate, which aims to employ thousands of youths in the region. The state government would decide in this regard, he added.