NICE Township: Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar wants higher compensation for farmers

Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar on Monday said he would push for higher compensation for farmers whose lands have been acquired for the NICE Township in the Yeshwanthpur constituency that he represents.

Somashekar said Rs 40 lakh as compensation was not enough, and that he would discuss this in the Cabinet sub-committee.

During a meeting with special land acquisition officers of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) and Public Works Department, Somashekar was informed that 1,322 acres had been identified for the NICE Township-1 project in Gonipura, Tippur and Lingapura villages of the Bengaluru South taluk.

Of this, 142 acres have been acquired for which Rs 58.29 crore compensation had been paid. For every acre, farmers have been paid Rs 40-41 lakh, officials said.

Somashekar directed officials to look into 2.33 acres of land that is being used as a cemetery whereas records showed otherwise.

This land is part of a 28.33-acre parcel on survey number 168 in Kengeri that was leased to the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) for 30 years. The 2.33 acres earmarked for a cemetery has not been used by NICE to build a road, officials pointed out.

“Government records do not show that this land is a cemetery. This needs to be examined,” Somashekar said.

The minister also asked officials why farmers were being given low compensation for their land acquired for the Metro phase-2.

In the UM Kaval forest area, the metro had decided to pay Rs 5,000 per sqm. Farmers moved the High Court of Karnataka following which it was revised to Rs 10,000 per sqm. Again, farmers have sought revision and this is being discussed, officials informed Somashekar.