No full stop for fertile land acquisition

Another 84 acres acquired in addition to 1,516 acres for Jewargi thermal plant

After acquiring 20 acres from Gulbarga University to set up an ESIC Medical Education Complex, the government has now taken an additional 84 acres over and above the 1,516 acres it had acquired for a proposed coal-based 1,320-MW thermal power plant near Jewargi.

After much resistance, a series of meetings and persuasion, the administration acquired 1,516 acres directly from the farmers in Ferozabad, Kiranagi and Nadisinnur villages in Gulbarga taluk, at Rs 9 lakh an acre.

The lands will be handed over to the successful bidder for the 2X660 MW power plant. The bidder is yet to be selected.

But what was the need for the extra 84 acres? According to the deputy commissioner of Gulbarga, 73 acres in the central portion of the proposed thermal plant site were left out while issuing the 4(1) notification in 2008 for acquiring 1,516 acres. It was traced during a joint measurement certification in 2010. Since the land is centrally located at the site, acquiring it was necessary, the deputy commissioner informed the government.

In all, 73 acres and 11 guntas of land were additionally acquired, he said. Further, as the project site is situated about 1.5 km away from National Highway 218, an additional 11 acres 23 guntas were identified freshly for formation of an approach road, the officer said.

Following the deputy commissioner’s recommendation, the State Government allowed the Power Company of Karnataka Limited (PCKL) — in whose possession the land is — to acquire 84.34 acres of additional land at the rate of Rs nine lakh per acre. Subsequently, the State Government had to cough up Rs 7.63 crore more for land acquisition. With this, the total cost of land acquired for the thermal plant comes to a whopping Rs 144 crore.
Though the government may recover the money from the successful bidder for the plant, the farmers are at the receiving end, getting only a one-time compensation of Rs nine lakh an acre, without any subsequent benefits.

Even after the acquisition of the huge tracts of fertile lands, the Central government has not assured coal linkage for the power plant, which is awaiting environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

However, residents and members of various organisations fear that the mindless acquisition of fertile lands may shrink the agricultural area, leading to food crisis.

“It is highly objectionable on the part of the administration to recklessly acquire additional land. Either it is apparent that the government is not aware of the extent of land required for the thermal plant, or there must be some design in acquiring additional land,’’ said Hyderabad Karnataka Environmental Awareness and Protection Committee President Deepak Gala.