Farmers continue to worry over high-tension power line

There seems to be no end to the worry of farmers in Kodagu district.

They have continued to worry over the proposed 400 KV capacity Mysore – Kozhikode high-tension electricity line which will pass through their land and is likely to cause damage to their coffee plantations and paddy fields.

Of 55 km land through which the power line is proposed to pass through, the line will pass though paddy field stretching for about 38 kilo metres and 12 km of coffee plantation. There are many small farmers depending on the agriculture.

They are worried about their future as they may not be able to continue with agriculture after the implementation of the project.

According Chimmangada Ganesh, a farmer from Nalkeri village, the possible affects of the project are many.

Officials say that 45 metres width land below the electricity line will be ‘cleared’ and there is no chance to grow any kind of crop. If 15 to 20 square metre high towers are built for the project, farming is not at all possible, he feared.

If the wire passes through the land people cant build house or use the land for any other purpose.

So naturally the market value of the land will be decreased. In addition, the automic rays would cause health problems to the people of the region.

“According to the information available, they will give compensation to the farmers only if they build tower in their land.  We want security to our farms than money. We are not against development, but it should not be at the cost of nature and life of farmers,” he said.

The General Manager of Power Grid Corp C D Kishor said that people have no reason to worry. The government is not going to encroach any land and there would be no problem for agriculture activities.

High-tension wire will not cause any health problems to the people. Power Grid Corp has layed one lakh kilo metres of electricity line across the country and there are no reports of health problems because of the line.

They are just myths, he claimed. 

“Two-three years ago we had informed almost all farmers of the region about the project and they had co-operated, but now protests have been started and they are not co-operating with us. Even if we do not build towers, we will offer compensation to all farmers,  wherever the line passes through. In first phase we will give 50 per cent of the compensation and the remaining amount will be paid after the work. We would give Rs 15 to Rs 18 lakh to one acre of coffee farm and Rs 2 lakh to paddy field. If the compensation is not equal to the market value, one can approach the deputy commissioner,” Kishor said.