Farmers stage sit out demanding compensation from BDA

Their land was notified in 2005 for Peripheral Ring Road; Cabinet to take up the issue shortly, says Meena

After seven years of waiting for the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to acquire their land that was marked for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), 300 farmers in a unique protest decided to stage a sit out at the BDA headquarters on Monday.

Led by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha‘s Kodihalli Chandrashekar, the farmers arrived at the BDA head office with their cattle and tractors to make a statement.

A total of 1,988 acres of land had been notified by the BDA for the 65-km PRR from Tumkur Road to Hosur Road in 2005.

However, the BDA failed to award the compensation to the farmers even after publishing the final notification. Reason: Once the land has been notified for a purpose under the BDA Act, no activity can take place on it.

“After having given the final notification for our land in 2005, the BDA has failed to compensate us and has also deprived us of our livelihood,” remarked Chandrashekar.

The farmers demanded the BDA to either award them their compensation at the current Standard Rates (SR) or provide them a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to carry out farming activity.

“We have so much grass that is cultivated to feed our cattle but nothing can be used. How do we survive?” questioned a farmer.

KRRS leaders demanded that the BDA provide Rs five lakh as compensation for the loss borne by the farmers or Rs 6,000 per month to fend for their families. The farmers laid siege to the BDA head office and shouted slogans. Sources in the BDA said the PRR was being considered by the Cabinet and that it should be approved by this month-end.

Reiterating the same, BDA Commissioner Bharath Lal Meena said: “The matter is with the Finance department and it will reach the Cabinet this month.”

Meena admitted that there had been a long delay in awarding the compensation due to various reasons. “The delay has been due to various litigations and policy decisions, including one which was with regard to handing over the project to NHAI.

However, with that falling through, the BDA will go ahead with the project,” he said.

Arkavathy Layout

Speaking on the status of the Arkavathy Layout, the BDA commissioner claimed that substantial progress had been made on the matter. “We are now ready to dispose off the 40 per cent of the developed land to the farmers and land losers. Once that is complete, we will be ready to disburse the 8,800-odd sites to the allottees,” he said.

Meena said tenders were invited to mark the sites and clear the huge shrubs and grass that has grown on the land. “We should be able to mark the sites with its measurements in the next two months,” he claimed.