Taluk farmers and leaders met District-in Charge Minister Alangur Srinivas and demanded that they be given a fair compensation package for their lands, that have been taken for the construction of 6 lane National Highway no 7,  on the outskirts of the city, on Thursday.

The farmers, who had met the minister in Bangalore said that the construction work of the national highway has already begun.

However, the farmers are not yet provided with the compensation package for their lands and also that the package promised by the government is found to be unsatisfactory. It is gross injustice being meted out on the part of the farmers.

The farmers were dependant on the grapes, mangoes, coconut and other crops grown on the lands that have been now taken  by the government. Now these crops are destroyed, thus rendering the lives of the farmers miserable. Also, some of the borewells are stuck in the region, that is being used for the construction of NH 7.

Thus, new borewells should be drilled for these farmers, they demanded. The land prices in Chickballapur have reached sky high, due to the international airport that is coming up near Devanahalli.

An acre of land next to the highway costs Rs 1 crore! Against this background the lands taken by the government for the construction of 6 lane NH 7 is priced at Rs 5 lakh per acre only. Isn’t this unjust?, they demanded.

Minister who was sympathetic to the woes of the farmers assured them that he would discuss the issue  with the officers of the  National Highway department. He also spoke to the Kolar DC and suggested him to inspect the spot and submit a report.