The nucleus of the issue in Nandagudi, is the real estate potential because of its proximity to the upcoming international airport in Devanahalli.
Nandagudi seems to be heading the Nandigram way, at least that is the feeling you get when you interact with the farmers here.
The similarities — between Nandagudi in Hoskote Taluk (55 km from Bangalore City) and Nandigram in West Bengal — don’t end with the names. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been proposed in both places. Both have rich farm lands and farmers here are against the Government’s move.
However, farmers in Nandagudi are yet to come out on the streets to express their views. The nucleus of the issue in Nandagudi, unlike Nandigram, is the real estate potential because of its proximity to the upcoming international airport in Devanahalli. Nandagudi is just 20 km away from the airport site. Therefore, the value of land in all the 36 villages in Nandagudi, where the SEZ is proposed to come up, has reached a dizzying high: the cost per acre is around Rs 40 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
That’s reason enough for the farmers to get anxious, on whether they would be forced to give up their properties at throwaway prices. For them, even the market price do not seem to be attractive. “We want to continue as farmers. We will not give away the land to any SEZ. We will protect our land as farmers in Nandigram did,” S S Lakshmish, a farmer in Nandagudi village and the convener of Nandagudi Raitha Hitarakshana Samithi, said.
He was reacting to the decision of the State Cabinet on Friday to establish an SEZ in Nandagudi.
Many BJP leaders and a section of IAS officers have advised the government not to go ahead with the SEZ plan as Hoskote taluk is facing water shortage.
But the State Government sprung a surprise after the Cabinet meeting last week by announcing the setting up of a fully private, multi-product SEZ covering 12,350 acres of land in Nandagudi hobli, in place of a township, as proposed earlier. The cost of the SEZ is Rs 15,000 crore and nearly 7,605 acres of farmers’ land will be used for the project.
What has infuriated the farmers here is that while land-owners in villages surrounding Nandagudi are making a killing by selling land to developers, their hands are tied. In fact, the land prices in Nandagudi have begun falling ever since the Government announced the township and their apprehension is that it would fall further.
“Land rates in all areas surrounding Nandagudi are steadily going up, while in Nandagudi it is falling. No developer is coming this way as they know that they cannot buy land here. If our land was free of any township or SEZ proposals, it would have fetched around Rs 1 crore per acre,” Lakshmish, who owns 20 acres of land, adds.
In the neighbouring Sulebele and Kasaba hoblies, the developers are on a land-buying spree. The cost has crossed Rs 1 crore per acre in these places. Nearly 80 per cent of 36 villages, where the SEZ is proposed, is irrigated. It is one of the main suppliers of vegetables to Bangalore.
“I am illiterate. But I am earning Rs 30,000 per month through farming. Will the people who are going to own SEZ give me a job matching the same income?... If my land is taken away then where will I work?,” asked Vijay Kumar, another farmer of Nelavagilu said. Meanwhile, the farmers affiliated to the Hitarakshana Samithi have planned a series of protests in the coming days, both in Nandagudi and Bangalore City.
SEZ SAGA The State Cabinet has given its nod for an SEZ, planned over 12,350 acres in Nandagudi hobli in Bangalore Rural District. With this, thousands of farmers could lose agricultural land to make way for the industries. Though water for farming has become scarce over the last two years due to a decline in rain, the farmers are not ready to part with their land. Starting today, Deccan Herald presents a two-part series on how the SEZ could change life in Nandagudi.
These are some of the questions posed by Deccan Herald to a cross-section of farmers in Nandagudi
Q: Are you aware that the govt is planning an SEZ in your area?
A: Yes.
Q: Will you sell the land?
A: Definitely not. Ours is rich agricultural land.
Q: But by selling, you can get huge money...
A: But we want to be farmers.. we have a good income
Q: But if the market price is offered by the promoter?
A: We are not here to sell land.
Q: Will you sell off land to a developer, if not for the SEZ?
A: We will see. We should be allowed to decide what we want.
CM’S ASSURANCE
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has made it clear that the farmers’ land will not be acquired directly or indirectly by the government to set up SEZs in the State.He was speaking before laying the foundation stone for development works worth Rs 223 crore here. He said the rights to the land belong to the farmers and in the name of development and industrialisation no land will be acquired.Before setting up SEZs anywhere in the State, including Hassan and Hoskote, the farmers consent is required.
This responsibility has been assigned to the industrialists who want to set up industries. The government’s nod will be given only after the industrialists meet the farmers directly, convince them, get their approval and purchase lands on agreeable terms. The government will not interfere, he said.
