HC shoots down Bellary airport
The Bellary airport project, the ambitious project of former tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy suffered a jolt on Wednesday, when the High Court single bench quashed the acquisition of 250 acres of land for it.
Hearing a petition by Lingappa, Bheemakka and 76 others had moved the High Court challenging the notification dated May 23, 2009, Justice Abdul Nazeer quashed the notification and directed the Government to consider afresh the demands of the farmers to acquire the land.
The petitioners, residents of Sirivara and Chaganur villages whose land had been taken over moved the High Court challenging the acquisition. They submitted that the land in the downstream of Tungabhadra dam was irrigated land and fertile and its acquisition was against the policy. They further submitted that while acquiring the land, the State Government gave them no chance file their objections nor heard them.
