Farmers boycott meeting with DC

They allege that the new electricity line which will pass through their lands is unscientific

Terming the 66 kv electricity line from Virajpet to Madikeri as unscientific, the farmers boycotted the meeting convened in Virajpet on Monday, to discuss the compensation for the farmers land where the electricity line will pass through.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Dr B C Sateesha and was convened by CESC.

Madetira Thimmaiah from Kadagadalu village said, "Farmers' opinion should be elicited at the Gram Panchayat level. Notices have not been served to farmers on whose land the electricity line will pass through. It is not right to convene a meeting to decide on the compensation without furnishing the details of the project. The electricity line is unscientific."

Zilla Panchayat former member Mookonda Shashi Subramani said, "It is not right to implement a project that will be a burden on farmers. The older electricity lines can be renovated. The compensation paid for the loss of land will be meagre."

CESC engineer Gopal Gaonkar said there are 200 farmers land where a 38.8-km long project will pass through. A total of 199 towers will come up at various locations. As per the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, a minimum of Rs 2 lakh compensation will be paid.

Dr Sateesha said that a meeting will be convened on November 16 in Madikeri to collect the people's opinions. A decision will be taken after the meeting.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Raju Mogaveera, Assistant Commissioner Iswar Kumar Kandoo, Tahsildar R Yogananda and DySP Jaya Kumar were present.