<p>But the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has made his life miserable and he has been running from pillar to post for the last 8 years to denotify his own land, which was once acquired and then rejected by KIADB.<br /><br />It all began when the KIADB issued a notification (dated March 12, 2003) to acquire about 17.16 acres of land belonging to Raymond Crasta at Ganjimutt for Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP). Left with no choice Crasta handed over the land, which he had bought in 1976. He then moved to an apartment in Mangalore. <br /><br />Fortunately or unfortunately, the KIADB officials in an order dated August 19, 2004, said that they require only 4.44 acres of land for EPIP and directed the authorities conerned in Bangalore to denotify the remaining land (12.72 acres).<br /><br />‘Order’ only on paper!<br /><br />Though Crasta was very happy that he got back his land, his happiness did not last long as the ‘order’ to denotify the 12.72 acres land remained only on paper. In fact, Crasta has lost count on the number of phone calls, letters and visits he made to KIADB office in Mangalore as well as Bangalore.<br /><br /> To reconfirm the status, Crasta filed an application under RTI on May 17, 2010 and he promptly received a reply from KIADB dated March 19, 2010, saying that only 4.44 acres has been acquired and the remaining 12.72 acres (3.6 acre, 2.06 acres, 3.06 acres and 4 acres from Survey numbers 53, 61-1, 62-1A and 67-3 respectively) has been dropped as per the directions of special land acquisition officer at KIADB in Bangalore.<br /><br />Buyers say no<br /><br />Crasta claims that he lost at least half a dozen potential land buyers including two religious congregations who wanted to set up a monastery and a pallative care unit respectively. “The moment the buyers learn that the land is yet to be denotified officially, they backtrack,” rues Crasta and adds that he is forced to live alone in India as his wife stays with their son and settled in Canada. “We were supposed to settle in Canada in 2007. <br /><br />Owing to the land issue, I postponed my trip and my dream of settling in Canada has crashed,” he said and added that he does not want to go to Canada unless the issue is solved.<br /> <br />Demand for Rs 15 lakh<br /><br />Looking at the plight of Crasta, a few people in the KIADB office have suggested that the land can be denotified quickly if he (Crasta) can pay a sum of Rs 15 lakh to speed up the process. Though Crasta promised to pay Rs 15 lakh after the land is denotified, ‘they’ are not ready to wait till then. “Pay the amount first and then the land will be denofied,” suggested the ‘agents,’ claims Crasta. <br /><br />Interestingly, Crasta has also been suggested to take loan and pay the same, so that he can repay the loan, once the land is denotified and sold. “I don’t want to take such a big risk at this age,” says he.<br /><br /> Though Crasta’s elder sister, Stella Crasta (76), was living in the house till recently, she too has moved to an old age home. At a time when Raymond Crasta was supposed to enjoy life with his grand children, the KIADB has made life miserable, thanks to the concept of development.<br /></p>
<p>But the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has made his life miserable and he has been running from pillar to post for the last 8 years to denotify his own land, which was once acquired and then rejected by KIADB.<br /><br />It all began when the KIADB issued a notification (dated March 12, 2003) to acquire about 17.16 acres of land belonging to Raymond Crasta at Ganjimutt for Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP). Left with no choice Crasta handed over the land, which he had bought in 1976. He then moved to an apartment in Mangalore. <br /><br />Fortunately or unfortunately, the KIADB officials in an order dated August 19, 2004, said that they require only 4.44 acres of land for EPIP and directed the authorities conerned in Bangalore to denotify the remaining land (12.72 acres).<br /><br />‘Order’ only on paper!<br /><br />Though Crasta was very happy that he got back his land, his happiness did not last long as the ‘order’ to denotify the 12.72 acres land remained only on paper. In fact, Crasta has lost count on the number of phone calls, letters and visits he made to KIADB office in Mangalore as well as Bangalore.<br /><br /> To reconfirm the status, Crasta filed an application under RTI on May 17, 2010 and he promptly received a reply from KIADB dated March 19, 2010, saying that only 4.44 acres has been acquired and the remaining 12.72 acres (3.6 acre, 2.06 acres, 3.06 acres and 4 acres from Survey numbers 53, 61-1, 62-1A and 67-3 respectively) has been dropped as per the directions of special land acquisition officer at KIADB in Bangalore.<br /><br />Buyers say no<br /><br />Crasta claims that he lost at least half a dozen potential land buyers including two religious congregations who wanted to set up a monastery and a pallative care unit respectively. “The moment the buyers learn that the land is yet to be denotified officially, they backtrack,” rues Crasta and adds that he is forced to live alone in India as his wife stays with their son and settled in Canada. “We were supposed to settle in Canada in 2007. <br /><br />Owing to the land issue, I postponed my trip and my dream of settling in Canada has crashed,” he said and added that he does not want to go to Canada unless the issue is solved.<br /> <br />Demand for Rs 15 lakh<br /><br />Looking at the plight of Crasta, a few people in the KIADB office have suggested that the land can be denotified quickly if he (Crasta) can pay a sum of Rs 15 lakh to speed up the process. Though Crasta promised to pay Rs 15 lakh after the land is denotified, ‘they’ are not ready to wait till then. “Pay the amount first and then the land will be denofied,” suggested the ‘agents,’ claims Crasta. <br /><br />Interestingly, Crasta has also been suggested to take loan and pay the same, so that he can repay the loan, once the land is denotified and sold. “I don’t want to take such a big risk at this age,” says he.<br /><br /> Though Crasta’s elder sister, Stella Crasta (76), was living in the house till recently, she too has moved to an old age home. At a time when Raymond Crasta was supposed to enjoy life with his grand children, the KIADB has made life miserable, thanks to the concept of development.<br /></p>
