Karnataka: Former PM HD Deve Gowda writes to CM, urges him to drop land acquisition for Greater Bengaluru township

Former PM HD Deve Gowda has strongly opposed the acquisition of farmers’ land in Bidadi Hobli of Ramanagara district by the Greater Bangalore Development Authority (GBDA) for the construction of a township project.

In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the former PM mentioned reports revealing that the government had initiated the process to acquire about 10,000 acres of land under several survey numbers across 24 villages in the jurisdiction of Byramangala and Kanchugaranahalli Gram Panchayats of Bidadi Hobli under the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha Constituency, for the proposed township project by the GBDA.

The letter mentioned that the State government has already acquired thousands of acres of farmers’ land for setting up industrial zones in Ramanagara and Kanakapura taluks of Ramanagara district. Ramanagara district, being close to the Bengaluru metropolitan region, has already seen the establishment of several private industries.


“The remaining agricultural land is essential for the livelihood of farmers, who depend on it for dairy farming, sericulture, horticulture, and cultivation. Most of these farmers are marginal or small landholders from economically weaker backgrounds. They have cultivated lakhs of trees and plants on and around their farmlands. Acquiring such land for a township project would cause irreparable environmental damage,” Gowda said.

Any further land acquisition, the former PM warned, would disrupt the livelihoods of thousands of families, and many rural youths from farming households could end up unemployed and destitute. Agriculture is the backbone of these poor farmers’ livelihood. In addition, agencies like the Karnataka Housing Board and other government bodies have already implemented several housing projects around Bidadi by acquiring farmers’ lands.