Farmers from Kusugal who are opposing the proposed alignment of the Hubballi bypass connecting National Highway 218 and National Highway 63 and on agitation mode for the last six years, staged a protest again on Monday and stopped work on the bypass that goes through their village.
They said that they were against starting work before the enquiry officer submitted his report on the issue.
The farmers, who have, under the aegis of Kusugal Raitha Seva Sangha, staged agitations on various occasions in the last few years, clarified that they are not against the development project, but want the alignment to be altered.
Their charge is that the proposed alignment is meant for protecting the land of influential persons and it would cause inconvenience to farmers, apart from snatching away their fertile land.
However, they have no objection to expanding the existing 5-km Kusugal-Halyal Road, which could be used for the proposed 12-km bypass.
S.M. Hosamani of Kusugal Raitha Seva Sangha, who has been approaching various authorities seeking justice for the farmers, said that the proposed bypass road was just at a distance of around 300 m-400 m from the Kusugal-Halyal Road.
Staging the protest on Monday, the farmers, led by S.M. Hosamani, Guru Rayanagoudra, G.P. Kenchanagoudra and others, said that they came to know that the enquiry officer who was directed to hear the farmers had failed to meet them during his visit to Hubballi a few days ago. And, moreover, they had not received any response to their letter from the officials concerned despite clear instructions from the Union government, they said.
They said that the hurriedness with which work was being initiated had led to suspicion of corruption and they would not allow the work to continue until their grievances were addressed.
Meanwhile, a complaint from the farmers, which was received by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on January 10, 2017 has been sent to the Superintending Engineer of National Highway section of the Public Works Department, Bengaluru.
The official website of the Union government mentions that action was taken on February 10, but does not specify what action has been taken. And, the farmers maintained that the National Highway official did not meet them.
