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Land losers for pipeline in Belthangady cry foul

Last Updated 17 August 2014, 19:00 IST

“We own only two acre land. For one gas pipeline, I have already lost 83 cents of land. On the left hand side of my house lies Petronet pipeline passing from Mangalore to Bangalore via Hassan.

There is a HT line passing above my house. Now, I have heard that another pipeline will pass through and it will demolish my house. I have also heard that two more pipelines will pass through the region. If this is the case, then my family will be on streets. We are leading a pitiable condition,” said Hukra of Pilikkala with tear in his eyes.

This is the tale of farmers who will lose land for proposed HPCL gas pipeline on Mangalore-Hassan-Mysore -Soloor line via Neriya-Pilikkala-Puduvettu in Belthangady taluk.
Already diesel-petrol pipeline of Petronet is passing through the villages.

 “We did not have information when the pipelines were laid. A few of those who had lost their land for Petronet pipeline are yet to get compensation. Apart from HPCL, Relogistic Infrastructure (Mangalore-Bangalore-Chennai) and Mangalore-Chitradurga pipeline will also be laid. Why all the pipelines should pass through our land. Why our village should bear the brunt of development,” ask farmers.

Rajya Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene Puduvettu-Neriya zone President Venkappa said, “we have been protesting against the proposed line for the last three years. The officials were conduting the survey without providing any information to us. They were trying to mislead us. We do not want compensation, instead we want our land which is our livelihood.”

He said, “we want our farm land to be intact. We had appealed to the Chief Minister and other elected representatives. However, all our efforts did not yield any result.”

“We have opposed the move to identify land in a paddy field for constructing a pumphouse. The pipeline path of Petronet is 18 metre wide. There is a need for six metre wide land for laying the pipeline adjacent to Petronet. We will lose 26 metre wide land for the pipelines. We can grow only short term crops. About 86 families will be affected with pipeline and six houses will have to be demolished,” said Harsha.

There is a rule that in the three kilomtre radius of the pumphouse, there should not be any habitation.

“If pumphouse is constructed, then where should the families go. We will not withdraw our protest,” said Raitha Sangha treasurer Manoj.

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(Published 17 August 2014, 19:00 IST)

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