Post-HC order, some triumphant, others repentant
The order of the High Court of Karnataka cancelling acquisition of 250 acres of land from 78 farmers in Sirivara and Chaganur villages in the taluk has come as a shot in the arm for those farmers who were fighting to save their lands. 
On the other hand, those farmers who had got money in return for giving up their land are now in a quandary, having already spent the money and shorn of their farms too. The government has acquired 700 acres of land belonging to more than 100 farmers.
The land acquired is fertile and it is said that there is scope for growing two crops in a year. The agitating farmers allege that the government had “forcibly” acquired land for the airport project on the grounds that it was not fit for irrigation. The farmers who are determined to retain the land for the purpose of agriculture only, are upbeat about the High Court ruling.
They would never give in to the temptations of higher compensation from the government and would continue with their agitation, Mallikarjuna Reddy, an advocate and himself a farmer from Chaganur, told Deccan Herald.
These farmers have got back their land following the court order. Of the total 950 acres marked for the airport, 250 acres are spread at various locations in the area marked for setting up the airport and it is now a moot question whether the project will come up.
It is not clear as to how many farmers have actually got compensation. Those farmers whose land has been acquired and not got compensation may approach court either seeking their land back or claiming higher compensation.
The government had fixed the highest compensation for land acquisition (outside Bangalore) for the airport at Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh per acre and the court order has come as a hurdle for the government to go ahead with the project.
With the court asking the special land acquisition officer to cancel the land acquisition order and to look into the matter afresh by giving an opportunity to file objections, it is likely that the government may try to acquire the land through inducements like higher compensation. In such an event, the farmers will never give up the land and will continue the agitation against the acquisition, said Reddy.
“Several of those farmers who had got money at the rate of Rs 16 lakh per acre have virtually squandered it. Only a few have invested it on land elsewhere. In some families, the compensation amount has led to souring relations over sharing it,” he said.
Meanwhile, cultivation is underway, by the original cultivators, of land acquired as the government is yet to take it in its possession. Reddy said the land acquired should be given to poor cultivators on lease as work on the airport has not started and that the protest would continue in this regard.
