SANDUR(BELLARY): JSW Steel Limited, which had allegedly violated the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board Act (KIADB) for acquiring agricultural lands to lay a railway track, continued with its work despite a stay by the High Court circuit bench in Dharwad.
JSW Steel asked the KIADB to provide 213 acres of agriculture land, including forest land, to lay more than 9 km long railway tracks via Lashmipura, Bhujanga Nagar and Hulikunta in Sandur taluk. Some of the farmers before HC circuit bench on March 31, demanded a halt to laying of tracks in their lands. The farmers contacted the JSW Steel representative. However, apparently the representative threatened the farmers and did not halt the work.
One farmer said JSW Steel had violated the norms by laying railway tracks in survey 211A instead of 211B. JSW Steel also illegally used agriculture land in survey number 207/3 at Lakshmipura for commercial purposes.
Most of the farmers have yet to receive compensation. “Farmers who raised their voices were put behind bars through false cases,” said Mahadevappa, a farmer.
The farmers alleged that JSW Steel threatened them and acquired more land than it required for the tracks.