<p>Villagers from Balkunje, Kollur and Ulepadi staged a protest on Friday at Balkunje in Mulki against Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board’s move to acquire 1,091 acres of fertile land for industrial purposes. After creating a roadblock for a little while, the villagers marched for two kilometres up till the Mahammayi Temple arch.</p>.<p>The protesters, staging their agitation under the aegis of Kollur, Balkunje, Ulipady Gramada Bhoosantrastara Hitharakshana Samithi, urged the government to suspend the notification issued to acquire land for the industries.</p>.<p>“The three villages notified for acquisition are naturally rich, and people have been engaged in farming for generations. By arranging permanent sources of water, villagers have converted dry land into a fertile land and have been cultivating paddy, coconut, areca nut, sugarcane, jasmine, and rubber. Along with the farming, the villagers are also involved in dairy farming and poultry. Black pepper, banana and cashew are cultivated along with the main crops,” said Samithi President Dennis D’Souza.</p>.<p>Balkunje Gram Panchayat former president Dinesh Puthran said his village is not a hilly land, but a fertile land where hundreds of families eke out their living through farming. “We will not allow industries to enter the fertile land,” he said.</p>.<p>The protesters held placards that asked not to put industries in their area. Some of them read: ‘Nemmadiya baduku namma hakku (We do not want industries area in our area)’, ‘safeguarding farmers is safeguarding country’, ‘farmers are backbone of the country’, ‘save land save life’, “safeguard poor,’ ‘need development not at the cost of environment’.</p>.<p>The protesting villagers submitted a memorandum stating their objections with the Mulki taluk Tahsildar.</p>.<p>The protesters also said that water from the Shambhavi river, which flows through these villages, supplies water to eight panchayats under a multi-village drinking water scheme. The birthplace of Kanthabare Boodabare, land belonging to Ulepadi Guddesana, masjid, convent, hostels, buildings associated with religious importance will lose its base if the industries are set up.</p>.<p>Gilbert D’Souza from Balkunje Church said: “We have been living in harmony. It is sad that we are facing such a situation. Let us all unitedly fight for the cause.”</p>
<p>Villagers from Balkunje, Kollur and Ulepadi staged a protest on Friday at Balkunje in Mulki against Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board’s move to acquire 1,091 acres of fertile land for industrial purposes. After creating a roadblock for a little while, the villagers marched for two kilometres up till the Mahammayi Temple arch.</p>.<p>The protesters, staging their agitation under the aegis of Kollur, Balkunje, Ulipady Gramada Bhoosantrastara Hitharakshana Samithi, urged the government to suspend the notification issued to acquire land for the industries.</p>.<p>“The three villages notified for acquisition are naturally rich, and people have been engaged in farming for generations. By arranging permanent sources of water, villagers have converted dry land into a fertile land and have been cultivating paddy, coconut, areca nut, sugarcane, jasmine, and rubber. Along with the farming, the villagers are also involved in dairy farming and poultry. Black pepper, banana and cashew are cultivated along with the main crops,” said Samithi President Dennis D’Souza.</p>.<p>Balkunje Gram Panchayat former president Dinesh Puthran said his village is not a hilly land, but a fertile land where hundreds of families eke out their living through farming. “We will not allow industries to enter the fertile land,” he said.</p>.<p>The protesters held placards that asked not to put industries in their area. Some of them read: ‘Nemmadiya baduku namma hakku (We do not want industries area in our area)’, ‘safeguarding farmers is safeguarding country’, ‘farmers are backbone of the country’, ‘save land save life’, “safeguard poor,’ ‘need development not at the cost of environment’.</p>.<p>The protesting villagers submitted a memorandum stating their objections with the Mulki taluk Tahsildar.</p>.<p>The protesters also said that water from the Shambhavi river, which flows through these villages, supplies water to eight panchayats under a multi-village drinking water scheme. The birthplace of Kanthabare Boodabare, land belonging to Ulepadi Guddesana, masjid, convent, hostels, buildings associated with religious importance will lose its base if the industries are set up.</p>.<p>Gilbert D’Souza from Balkunje Church said: “We have been living in harmony. It is sad that we are facing such a situation. Let us all unitedly fight for the cause.”</p>
