BENGALURU: After intense and 1,200 days of protest by farmers and other organisations, the state government on Tuesday dropped its decision to acquire 1,777 acres for a defence and aerospace park at Channarayapatna hobli in Devanahalli taluk near Bengaluru.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the government has decided to step back and withdraw the notification. But, he added, if farmers from the region come forward to give up their land, the government will purchase it at suitable amount.
He clarified that the decision to withdraw land acquisition is restricted to only this region and is not applicable to any other parts of the state where the government is trying to acquire land for industrial purposes.
After meeting farmers, he told reporters that the state government had issued both preliminary and final notifications for acquiring the land. But farmers had refused to give up land, saying it was the source of their livelihood. “This land is close to Bengaluru and Kempegowda International Airport, and it also falls under the Green belt. Farmers not only opposed our decision, but were also protesting against it,” he said.
The government held six meetings with farmers and those associated with them. Farmers were joined by pro-farmer activists, communist party leaders, writers, artists, Dalit organisations and others.
The government discussed pros and cons of acquiring the land with them and and decided to scrap the notification, he said. “No one can stop acquisition if farmers come forward to give up their land. We will use such land for industrial purposes. Once developed, a certain percentage of the land will be given back to farmers. We will not acquire from those who do not agree,” he added.
“We cannot say how much land we will get. It’s too early,’’ he said.
AP puts out open invite to industrialists
Reading the written statement, he said for those who come forward to give up their land, more money or developed land will be given. Meanwhile, soon after the Karnataka government’s decision to scrap the notification to acquire land from farmers for a defence and aerospace park at Devanahalli on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh Minister for IT Nara Lokesh took to social media inviting the aerospace industry to invest in his state. On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement on dropping the decision to acquire the land, Lokesh put out a message for industrialists, “Sorry to hear about this.
I have a better idea for you. Why don’t you look at Andhra Pradesh instead? We have an attractive aerospace policy for you, with best-in-class incentives and over 8,000 acres of ready-to-use land (just outside Bengaluru)! Hope to see you soon to talk across the table.”