Karnataka govt drops acquisition of 1,777 acres of agriculture land for aerospace park

In a significant development, Karnataka government has dropped the process of acquisition of 1,777 acres of land in 13 villages of Devanahalli taluk for an aerospace park following resistance by farmers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who held a meeting with representatives of farmers in Bengaluru on July 15, announced shelving of the land acquisition process. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the announcement as the farmers’ protest entered the 1,198th day on July 15.

However, the chief minister has made it clear that the government would acquire lands of those farmers, who have volunteered to give up their lands for the project, by offering higher prices and sops like part of developed land. 

The chief minister observed that there was a possibility of industries, who wanted to set up their establishments on the proposed park, going to the neighbouring states now. Even then the government had decided to shelve the land acquisition process in the interest of farmers who were keen that their lands should not be acquired, he noted. 

The farmers of Devanahally taluk were protesting for the last 1,198 days in Channarayapatna of their taluk demanding withdrawal of the land acquisition process. Pointing out that there lands were fertile and they were earning remunerative prices for their crops due to proximity to Bengaluru markets, they had questioned the logic of acquiring fertile lands for industrial development. 

Their protest had become a broad-based one with various progressive organisations lending their support, and warning the government of launching a statewide protest if their demands were not met with. Following this, the chief minister had held a first round of meeting with their representatives in the first week of July while the final meeting was held on July 15.