Real estate shadow on villages around Nandi Hills

Farmers in CB Pur dist sell land as scanty rain makes agriculture difficult

Real estate development is spreading its tentacles far and wide in the district and isn’t limited to peripheral areas off Bengaluru. Developers are keeping a close eye on land and want to develop housing layouts near highways, hills and boulders.

Drought is one of the reasons for real estate development to go up in the last ten years. Scanty rainfall over several years has pushed agricultural activities to the back seat. Taking advantage of this situation, real estate promoters are persuading farmers to sell their land.

Real estate development is happening fast on either side of the highway just after Chikkaballapur taluk begins from Devanahalli side. Large hoardings erected along the road display the contact numbers of builders. So, investors get an open invitation to contact for residential sites or houses.

Krishnappa, a resident of Beedaganahalli village, said farmers were having a tough time as borewells, which they had dug a few years ago by taking loans, had dried up for lack of rain.

“First, the government acquired land for the international airport near Devanahalli. Then, some construction companies looked for land to build apartments. They made farmers believe that agriculture is tough and it’s better to sell land and make way for development. Then too, farmers hadn’t made up their mind to sell the land. But they had no other option as agriculture became too difficult with no rain and dry borewells. They felt it’s better to sell the land rather than face drought every year. I also thought the same way. Now, houses are being built on the land where crops were supposed to be cultivated.”

Other villages too
Real estate development is not limited to Avathi, Beedaganahalli and other villages in the district’s border area. Developers are buying huge tracts of land in and around Nandi Hills, Gopinath Betta and Nandi Cross, too.

They even have set eyes on small villages such as Patrenahalli, Kattariguppe, Angarekanahalli where few buses ply. It’s here that real estate development is gaining momentum.

Eerenahalli is a small village in Nandi hobli with just 50 families of farmers. Most of them have migrated to other places by selling their land to real estate developers. Narasimhappa, a farmer, said, “Farmers have started to believe it’s difficult to grow crops. People, who were once landlords, are now making efforts to sell their land at higher prices. Farmers in Angatta, Karahalli, Kuppahalli and surrounding villages, who once grew crops, are now working for real estate developers.”

He is worried that things are becoming tougher day by day. He said farmers wouldn’t think of selling their land if the district had received rain.