Karnataka Land Acquisition Bill flayed

 The District Congress Committee President M L Murthy flayed the State government for implementing Karnataka Land Acquisition Bill. The Bill will affect the farmers.

Speaking to media persons, he said the State government has forwarded the Bill to the President for his approval. The Bill intends to enforce three years of imprisonment and penalty for those who encroach the land that belongs to Revenue, Forest, Endowment Department, Wakf and other government land. The Congress had been urging the government to frame a policy which will check the encroachment of the land by the rich. But the government has paid no heed to our demand, he alleged.

“A large number of poor farmers have encroached the government land in Kadur and Tarikere taluk. We have submitted a memorandum to the Revenue Minister in this regard and he has responded to us positively. Now it is the  responsibility of the two other ministers of our district to pressurise the Government not to implement the Bill.”

He questioned the government about the progress made in providing compensation to the people in drought prone areas. Kadur, Tarikere and Chikmagalur taluks have been facing severe drought. The government has only announced the package, but no work has been initiated yet. The elected representatives merely speak about the package amount that has been released, he said.

Speaking about the misappropriation in the distribution of BPL ration cards to the people, he complained that BPL cards are given to the well to do families, while APL cards are given to the poor. The State government should ensure that the list of BPL card holders along with their photographs are put up outside the ration shops.

Strict action should be taken against those who have obtained BPL card by providing fake documents, Murthy demanded.

A few farmers including Rama Shetty, Gange Gowda, Thimmappa shared their grievances at the meet. They said that mediators have been creating problems in the banks. “The bank officers and staff come to our houses to recover loans. They have given us the notices. We have not received good rain in the last nine years and are in distress. In such a situation, how can we repay the loan borrowed from the banks,” they said.