‘Government trying to hand over excess land to NICE'

The State Government is allegedly trying to avoid hearing the complaints of landowners and others affected by the controversial Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project despite directions from the Supreme Court and is attempting to “secretly” hand over land acquired in excess to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE), the company executing the project.

In a statement, NICE Bhu Swadheena Virodhi Raitha Horata Samiti said the Supreme Court in January directed the High Level Committee, headed by the Chief Minister, “to give opportunity of hearing to the NICE and other interested parties whom the committee thinks proper to hear.”

Samiti president Panchalingaiah alleged that a meeting of the committee was convened under the chairmanship of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday and the Government did not invite parties before the Supreme Court to the meeting. The meeting, however, was postponed to June 24.

However, the samiti members complained that even though the Government postponed the meeting, Mr. Yeddyurappa held “a closed-door” meeting with some representatives of NICE, including Baba Kalyani of Kalyani Steel and Bharat Forge group, who holds a major stake in NICE, and some top government officials. The samiti members alleged that “the Government, which has already admitted before the court about acquisition and handing over of excess land, is trying to hand over more excess land in a clandestine manner.”

“We suspect the Government is planning to avoid inviting us to the meeting as it will have to record our complaints in the minutes of meeting that has to be submitted to the Supreme Court. Our complaints, if recorded in the minutes of meeting, will become a hurdle for the Government to hand over excess land to NICE,” the samiti alleged.