The Congress Government in Karnataka has decided to implement the Land Acquisition Act 2013 brought about by the UPA government instead of the new legislation of the NDA government, according to Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil.
But, the government is thinking of directly purchasing the land from farmers for its Yettinahole project, instead of going through acquisition, to avoid the time-consuming process of social impact assessment, which is mandatory under the UPA’s Act.
Indicating this in the Legislative Assembly while replying to demand for grants for the Water Resources Department, Mr. Patil said the State Government would abide by the Land Acquisition Act 2013 which makes it mandatory in most of the cases to conduct social impact assessment of projects for which the land is being acquired.
He said the Water Resources Department did not have any problem with implementing the 2013 Act as it had exempted the irrigation projects from conducting the social impact assessment.
However, there was a need to conduct social impact assessment for the Yettinahole drinking water project. But this process would take about nine months. Hence the government was thinking of directly purchasing the land from farmers by paying the compensation which is equivalent of four times the value of property besides the solatium and benefits of Rehabilitation and Resettlement as prescribed in the Act, the minister explained.
But several Opposition members, especially those from the parched constituencies, which are set to be benefitted by the Yettinahole project, wondered what would happen to the project if any of the land owners refused to part with their property during the direct-purchase process. Such a situation would compel the government to acquire the land under the provisions of the 2013-Act which would involve social impact assessment that would delay the crucial project, alleged JD (S) member Shivalinge Gowda. He suggested that instead, the government should follow the new legislation with respect to land acquisition to avoid any delay.
The minister made it clear to the House that the government would stick to the 2013-Act.
Meanwhile the minister also informed the House that the government had taken up a project to fill 1,113 tanks in the state with water from rivers at a cost fo Rs. 4,277 crore.
