A recent Karnataka High Court order that favoured the restoration of the khata of the vast tracts of land on the outskirts of Shivamogga city with the owners of the now-defunct Tungabhadra sugar factory has left many farmers worried.
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Those farmers who cultivated certain patches of land over the years and those who built houses have urged the State government to ensure they continue to possess the land. On the other hand, proprietors of Tungabhadra Sugar Works Ltd. are making efforts to take back their land as per court orders.
Tungabhadra Sugar Factory, for which the foundation stone was laid by then Chief Minister, K. Hanumanthaiah, on November 1, 1954, is a private entity initially owned by the Madhavni Group from Gujarat. It started operating in 1958. For nearly three decades, it crushed sugarcane grown in Shivamogga and neighbouring districts, benefiting the growers. The government had allotted nearly 1,000 acres of land on lease to cultivate sugarcane. Besides that, the factory had purchased vast lands in Eraganal, Nidige, Harige, and Malavagoppa. Altogether, the purchased land is over 1,400 acres. At one point, it crushed 3.5 lakh tonnes of sugarcane in a season, according to P. Ravi Kumar, vice president of the Tungabhadra Sugar Works’ Majdoor Sangha.
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Court order
In 1991, a Coimbatore-based business family purchased the factory. Due to recurring losses, among other issues, it stopped crushing in 1996. The proprietors had loans borrowed from various agencies, including banks, besides the dues to the workers. “The matter went to Madras High Court, and the court, in 1999, ordered the liquidation of the factory. It was under the supervision of the court until early this year. Now it is in the hands of Tungabhadra Sugar Works Ltd owned by P. Manivelan, who cleared the dues, said Mr. Ravi Kumar.
In recent years, the Revenue Department records showed the land as government land (Sarkari phada), as the owners had not paid any revenue. The owner sought the restoration of the land in the company’s name. Karnataka High Court, in its order on October 12, 2023, directed the Revenue Department officials of Shivamogga to consider their application for restoration of their khata. The land belonging to the company now is worth hundreds of crores of rupees, given its location. All the land is within a few kilometres of Shivamogga city.
Farmers’ demand
After the factory remained defunct, several local people cultivated pieces of land at different locations. A few are said to have got the land granted to them from the Revenu Department. A few have built houses. They have been demanding that they not be evicted. After forming a struggle committee under the chairmanship of M.B. Krishnappa, the farmers have approached officers and elected representatives with a request to ensure they continue to cultivate their land. They submitted an appeal to Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa, who is also Minister in-charge of Shivamogga, on Sunday.
MP reacts
Shivamogga Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra, who joined the issue on Monday, said that farmers and local residents should not be disturbed. “No matter whether the land was purchased by the company or granted on lease to the factory, farmers should be allowed to cultivate,” he said. He also demanded the State government take up the legal battle on behalf of the local people and file an appeal challenging the high court’s order.
When The Hindu contacted P. Manivelan, owner of Tungabhadra Sugar Works Ltd, he said that certain patches of the company’s land had been encroached upon by some people. The company was making efforts to take back its land. “Many people are making statements on the issue without understanding the actual facts. Our legal team will face the facts before the public soon. It will resolve many issues, he said.