Farmers in three villages in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district are both angry and worried — and feeling let down by government officials and elected representatives.
The reason for all these emotions among the farmers in Halakurki and Bedar-Budihal of Badami taluka and Hangaragi in Guledagudda: A government move to acquire 2,200 acres for developing an airport and an industrial project has left fuming.
They launched a dawn-to-dusk hunger protest against the move 58 days ago. Their protest is primarily against Murugesh Nirani, the minister for large and medium industries, and the state government.
Nirani invited their anger after the government issued a preliminary notification to acquire 2,200 acres of fertile land for the two projects. The arable acres, where sunflower, cotton and sugarcane grow, are on the outskirts of the three villages.
Soon after the notification was issued, farmers from the three villages united, and wrote a joint memorandum to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Chief Secretary P Ravikumar, opposing the acquisition move. They appealed to the government to withdraw the project.
Injustice to SC/ST community
In the one-page letter to the chief minister, the villages raised apprehensions over the government’s plan to develop the airport in Halakurki village.
“Minister Nirani has made statements in public functions that there are plans to construct an airport and gas industries by acquiring more than 2,000 acres in Halakurki village. This is an injustice to the people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes since over 65 percent of the fertile and irrigated land belongs to these communities,” they said in the letter that South First has seen.
“The majority of the landholders are dependent on these lands for their livelihood. If the government acquires these lands, then over 70 percent of the farmers will be on the streets,” the letter continued.
The farmers complained that neither officials of the district administration or the Revenue Department, nor the elected members had sought their views before the government notification was published.
“We make it clear that the farmers have decided not to give a single inch of land for the airport or any industrial development. We urge the government to drop its plan of developing the airport in Halakurki village,” they clarified their stand.
Opposing the project, the farmers of the three villages had in October taken out a mega protest and tractor rally from the village to the office of the district administration.
“Ever since the notification has been issued, it has become tough to lead a normal life for us,” Shivappa Halakukri, a farmer, told South First.
“We don’t know when the government will acquire our land in the name of infrastructure development. The farmers are united and we will not give up the land,” he asserted.
Land survey soon
The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), tasked with land acquisition and developing the industrial area, has issued two notices to farmers.
As many as 554 farmers received the first notice, and 502 of them filed their objections to the acquisition. The authorities sent the second notice to 157 farmers — and all objected.
The government, meanwhile, is going ahead with the project, despite objections from the three villages.
“A preliminary notification has been issued for acquiring 2,200 acres of land for the development of the airport and industrial areas in and around Halakurki village. A joint survey of the areas will likely be carried out in a week or two. The detailed project report for the airport and industrial area is yet to be done,” Mamatha Hosagouder, KIADB’s special land acquisition officer, told South First.
On the farmers’ protest, she said it has “come to our notice. We are in contact with the farmers and notices have been served to over 500 farmers. We will bring this (the protest) to the notice of the state government before going ahead with the project”.
After the officials from KIADB visited the proposed site, a group of farmers met Chief Minister Bommai at his residence in Hubballi. The chief minister reportedly gave them an oral assurance that the government would decide in favour of the farmers’ welfare.
Government owns 400 acres
Minister Nirani said 400 acres in the area belonged to the state government. “We are planning to acquire the remaining 1,800 acres from the farmers,” he told South First.
The minister also spoke about a compensation package.
“We have promised ₹18 lakh an acre, and jobs to the children of the farmers. Around 70 percent of the farmers have orally consented to hand over their properties to the government,” he further said.
Nirani said the government would try to convince the protesting farmers to providing their land for the development project. The minister also pointed out the necessity of an airport.
“Badami has world heritage monuments and thousands of tourists throng the historical town every day. An airport is the need of the hour for the overall development of Bagalkot,” he said.
Nirani added that the government is aiming at boosting air connectivity.
“In the first phase, we are developing airports at Bagalkot, Koppala, Raichur and Davangere. The chief minister has announced his support for these development projects. We will not acquire land forcibly from the farmers,” he said.
Bommai against Nirani’s plan
A farmer, who requested anonymity, said Nirani was silencing a section of farmers with money and muscle power. Around 85 percent of the farmers are united and have decided not to give a single inch of land to the government,” he said
Another farmer vowed to teach Nirani a lesson in the 2023 Assembly election. “His words are meant to mislead the farmers and media,” he said.
Interestingly, a Cabinet minister hinted that the project might not even take off.
“The chief minister is against this project. The government will not allow Nirani to go ahead with his plans which are against the will of the farmers. Even a section of Cabinet ministers is opposing this project,” he said, while preferring to remain anonymous.
“The government will announce its stand at the earliest. I appeal to the farmers to withdraw the protest,” he added.
Incidentally, Bagalkot has three airports, including an upcoming one, within a 100-km radius: Sambra airport near Belagavi, Hubballi airport and the under-construction Vijayapura airport, which is likely to be operational by next summer.
