Karnataka: Kumaraswamy questions Govt over delay in compensating NICE land losers

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday questioned the state government over the delay in handing compensation for the land acquired for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project signed up with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE).

Despite Supreme Court directions and delay of several years, the government has remained inactive, he said, speaking for hundreds of farmers whose plots of lands have been acquired by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for developing an expressway. “Farmers’ land has been looted in the name of the NICE project. Officials, KIADB authorities, and Congress leaders have colluded to plunder farmers' land," Kumaraswamy, who presents Mandya in the Lok Sabha, told the media.

“It’s been 22 years, yet the authorities remain indifferent and asleep, failing to compensate the farmers. The Supreme Court has criticized this negligence. This government has completely ignored the welfare of farmers and remains in a deep slumber. Farmers’ land was forcibly taken under the pretext of building roads. Even the committee led by TB Jayachandra (Congress lawmaker) had recommended that the entire project be brought under government control and a high-level investigation conducted. Yet, the government remains inactive.”


Kumaraswamy added, “The Supreme Court directed that compensation must be paid to farmers within two months. It ordered that market value for the acquired land, effective from April 22, 2019, must be determined. How many days have passed since the Supreme Court’s order? Minister M.B. Patil, what have you been doing all this time? Why haven’t you ensured compensation for the farmers? What is your role if not this?.”