Bengaluru: Amid protests from farmers, Karnataka govt issued a preliminary notification on Oct 12 to acquire 369 acres of land in two villages in Doddaballapur taluk of Bengaluru Rural district.According to local residents, the parcel of land comes under villages which are located in the basin area of Arkavathi river, a tributary of the Cauvery. The notification comes amid demands for land to set up industries near Foxconn facilities in North Bengaluru.Sources said the govt is preparing to issue an acquisition notification for land in neighbouring Koira village in Devanahalli taluk, which borders Doddaballapur taluk.According to the notification, the govt proposes to acquire 223 acres and 11 guntas across 51 survey numbers in Sonnamaranahalli and 145 acres and 38 guntas across 129 survey numbers in Dandudasa Kodigehalli.The notification prohibits landowners from selling or leasing their properties or undertaking construction and development activities on the notified land from Oct 12. It also warns them against obstructing officials discharging their duties as part of the acquisition process. The govt has further stated that buildings constructed after the publication of the preliminary notification will not be considered while determining compensation.The notification does not specify a deadline for landowners to submit their objections to the proposed acquisition.Of the 223 acres and 11 guntas proposed to be acquired in Sonnamaranahalli, 120 acres and 22 guntas are govt land, while the remaining 102 acres and 29 guntas belong to private landowners. In Dandudasa Kodigehalli, of the 145 acres and 38 guntas proposed for acquisition, 34 acres and 38 guntas are govt land, while the remaining 111 acres belong to private owners.Murali DK, a farmer from Dandudasa Kodigehalli whose five acres of land is under the acquisition process, said farmers were opposed to the move. He claimed that although the govt repeatedly spoke about developing industrial areas beyond Bengaluru, it continued to acquire land in and around the city.Murali said he and other farmers from the village had staged a protest at Bengaluru Rural deputy commissioner’s office recently. “We will continue our protest against the govt’s move until it drops the acquisition process,” he said.SM Prakash, a farmer from Sonnamaranahalli, said the land proposed for acquisition was located in the Arkavathi basin. “Instead of reviving the river, the govt is planning to destroy water sources in its catchment area. The govt should not acquire fertile agricultural land in the region. It should take a pro-farmer decision instead of supporting businessmen,” he said.
