JOIN USA struggle of almost eight years has thus come to an end, with the government deciding to fulfill a majority of the farmers’ demands. The standoff began ever since the government decided to form the layout in 2003 and the land acquisition process began in 2004.
At the instance of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, a meeting to resolve the dispute was conducted at the chief minister’s home office, Krishna, but Yeddyurappa was not present at the meeting. Home Minister R Ashoka, Housing Minister Somanna, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje and D B Chandre Gowda, MP, heard the farmers’ case before coming up with the formula to resolve the deadlock.
The government had agreed to pay a compensation of Rs 15 lakh per acre at a time when the land prices in the area had touched Rs one crore an acre. The farmers were not satisfied with the compensation amount and had fought a long legal battle. From time to time, they staged demonstrations at Jakkur.
Against the demand by the farmers for 60 per cent of the developed land, the government has agreed to give them 40 per cent of the developed land. This way, the farmers will get at least 9,583 square feet of land for each acre surrendered. The farmers were assured that they would be given substantial concession in the stamp duty at the time of registration of the properties.
The government also promised the farmers that it would consider sympathetically the demand that the lands be allotted near the villages where they resided currently. Those possessing one or two guntas of land would get a site measuring at least 600 sqft.
The delegation of 60 farmers which met the ministers included farmers’ leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar and MLAs Krishna Byre Gowda and Satish Reddy.