BANGALORE: More than 150 farmers, along with sheep and cows, laid siege to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in the city on Monday as part of their indefinite stir demanding no objection certificates (NOC) for tilling the land following delay in the completion of peripheral ring road (PRR) project.
This protest was launched by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and Hasiru Sene, Peripheral Ring Road Horata Samiti and Samata Sainik Dal (SSD). KRRS leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar and SSD leader Venkataswamy said that BDA acquired over 2,000 acres from farmers in 2005 for the proposed peripheral ring road from Tumkur Road to Hosur Road. The total length of the road was 67 km. Because of acquisition, agricultural activities had come to a standstill since last seven years in many villages. The farmers were put into a lot of hardship, they alleged.
Despite submitting memoranda to chief ministers and legislators, no one was bothered to address this problem. The BDA’s promise to resolve the matter after discussing with the chief minister too proved futile, the agitators charged.
They said they had come to know about some legal hurdles to execute this project. As farmers were not able to till their land, the BDA should provide a monthly maintenance of Rs 6,000 per family for seven years which comes to around Rs 5.4 lakh. Besides, the farmers should be given NOC to till their land as there was no sign of any progress of the project, they demanded.
The farmers blocked the main entrance by tying cows and sheep. The agitating farmers also cooked near the main gate as they resolved not to move from the place till all their demands were met.
Adequate police security was provided as a precautionary measure.