Posco plant:;HC directs farmers to approach govt

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday dismissed a petition seeking a direction to the State government to go ahead with the Posco project at Halligudi in Gadag district.

As many as 117 farmers had approached the Court claiming that they were prepared to give their land for the project and sought the Court to direct the government to proceed with the proposal. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna refused to interfere with a direction to the petitioner to approach the government.

The government’s plan to set up a 32,000-crore steel plant in Gadag district had triggered massive protest from farmers. After it a backtrack, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani recently claimed that the plan was still alive as villagers had expressed their willingness to part with their land for the steel plant.