Government to take decision on dropping KSIC land for sports stadium after technical report: Mysuru DC Lakshmikanth Reddy

Mysuru: MLC S Yathindra and Mysuru DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy finally visited the KSIC silk raw reeling unit at T Narsipura of Mysuru district on Thursday, to assess the ground reality.

They met the employees who are protesting since 15 days for the 5 acre land of KSIC which is critical for KSIC's survival and is acquired by the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports to build a sports stadium at the cost of Rs 6 crore.

Reddy told DH that the KSIC and DYES officials have been asked to submit a technical report, by exploring if they can save the KSIC filature and build the stadium too by using same KSIC land acquired now. Once the report is received, the government will take a decision, he said.

Meanwhile Assistant Director of Sports Department Bhaskar Naik said that minimum 5 acre land is required to build a stadium. They are looking for alternate land.

After the feasibility committee of DYES approves that if any one of these lands meet the minimum criteria to build a sports stadium, they will give a report to DC on Friday evening.

KSIC MD Zehera Naseem told DH that they have given a report to DC and Dr Yathindra that this 5 acre land is crucial of KSIC's survival.

After KSIC MD Zehera assured employees that the stadium proposal is likely to be dropped in KSIC land, the employees decided to start production and work from 7.30 am to 4 pm from Friday.

But they continued protest from 4 pm to 6 pm during OT period until the government passes an order to drop the land of KSIC for the stadium.

Also environmentalists led by Parisara Balaga and members of Raitha Sangha will continue the protest as it is, until there is a government order in this regard, said Parashuramegowda of Parisara Balaga.

On Thursday morning, Yathindra and DC Reddy, held meeting with KSIC MD Zehera Naseem and KSIC GM S K Manjula in TNarsipur. The officials took them for factory tour and clearly explained how crucial and critical it is to retain this 5 acre land for KSIC's survival.

Yathindra questioned why the KSIC officials did not explain about this before it was acquired. The KSIC officials produced a report of MD and GM, in which they had clearly mentioned about the importance of this 5 acre land for KSIC's survival.

They explained that, in the report they had asked government to form a technical committee to conduct a scientific survey before taking over the land for stadium, but it has not been done.

They even informed how they had approached even the Chief Minister in this regard. In the video clipping of employees' interaction with CM, CM has clearly assured that he would visit the spot and decide about it.

During the factory tour, the officials explained the Government may not close KSIC, but closure of KSIC becomes inevitable if the 5 acre of KSIC land is used for stadium.

They showed the KSPCB notice issued on May 2, 2025; and permit given for functioning of factory on February 17 with a condition to build ETP and enhance greenery. They planned to build effluent treatment plant in acquired land.

They also informed that KSPCB has noted that 830 trees green belt on 12 acre 32 gunta of land on the factory premises including 552 trees on land acquired is not sufficient as they need to have 30 per cent green cover as per Industries Act 1948 and they plan to plant 500 more trees in 3 acre land acquired now. If the condition is not followed, automatically factory will be closed.

They even showed they will lose half an acre of coal yard near boiler area, half acre Cinder ash dumping yard, and there will not be access for lorries to reach the coal yard, making factory automatically dysfunctional.

They also showed how there is no gradient elsewhere to relocate the pipeline which pumps 5 lakh liter of water per day from the Kapila River to KSIC and the underground water pipeline, laid in 1912, is in acquired the land.

How it might get affected while construction of stadium and how the factory will become dysfunctional if there is no water. They even showed expansion plans to have additional parking area, additional boiler, a cantene and creche in acquired land.