HC directs KIADB to compensate farmers

The High Court on Tuesday directed Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to pay Rs 25,000 ex-gratia to 22 farmers who had given away their land to the Board and had not received proper compensation.

A division bench comprising Justice K L Manjunath and Justice Ravi Malimath, hearing the petition filed by the farmers directed KIADB to pay compensation to the farmer with an additional 15 per cent interest from the date when the Board had taken possession of the land.

KIADB had acquired 400 acres of land in Kamagere village of Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district to set up a sugar mill.

KIADB had given approval to Bannari Amman, a Tamil Nadu based industrial group, to set up a sugar mill on the 400 acre land located close to a forest reserve area.  In 2011, Biligiri Ranga Temple (BRT) Hills was declared wildlife sanctuary and Tiger reserve and the sugar mill plant was located in an ecologically sensitive zone, where it was alleged that sugar mill had also not sought approval of the National Wildlife Board.

KIADB came under High Court’s wrath for paying only 50 per cent of the compensation amount to the farmers and denotifying forest land.  The farmers filed a petition seeking for their complete compensation.