Negotiations for the acquisition of land for a pump house at Neriya, Belthangady taluk for the Mangalore-Bangalore LPG pipeline failed on Wednesday, even as the district administration presented a modified proposal to convince the farmers.
The farmers have been opposing the gas pipeline being laid by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) saying the compensation was inadequate and that they were not willing to part with their land to which they were emotionally attached and depended for livelihood.
Arriving at Pijakkala near Neriya village, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said the modified proposal needed just 80 cents of land, instead of 7.1 acres notified earlier.
With a landowner agreeing to sell his land adjacent to the chosen site, Mr. Ibrahim said only 80 cents of the originally notified land would be needed for construction of a road. However, the farmers vehemently opposed this, saying “not an inch” of land will be given to the company.
The opposition continued even as the DC said the government will not grab their land or leave them without adequate compensation. Eventually, Mr. Ibrahim said a revised compensation offer would be announced soon.
Late last year and earlier this year, HPCL officials – who are executing the Rs. 750-crore pipeline project – were gheraoed during attempts to survey the land.
Alternative landEarlier, on the suggestion of the land-losers, officials visited “alternative lands” at Kuvaithil near Neriya. Here too, the proposal was met with opposition by the residents; while, a neighbouring gomala land (for cattle grazing) was deemed unfit due to hilly terrain by HPCL officials.
Visits isolated villageMr. Ibrahim also visited the remote Kolodi village, on the border of Dakshina Kannada and Chikmagalur.
The hamlet of about 71 households is connected by a mud road surrounded by three streams. Mr. Ibrahim assured them of a new road, implementing a scheme to build pucca houses, arranging for a way to bring rations into the village during the monsoon, and electricity supply.
