Farmers Meet D.K. Shivakumar Urging Land Acquisition for Bidadi Township

A delegation of farmers from Byramangala and Kanchugarahalli met Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday, August 11, appealing for the immediate issuance of the final land acquisition notification and early compensation for the Bidadi Township Project.

The delegation's visit came a day after JD(S) Youth Wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy concluded a two-day padayatra from Byramangala to Bengaluru opposing the township. Byramangala has served as the center of ongoing protests against the project for over 500 days.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the farmers in Bidadi, Mr. Shivakumar stated that he would discuss the matter with officials and soon issue a final notification for the land needed in Byramangala and Kanchugarahalli. He said farmers in these villages are willing to accept a compensation package containing cash and land, emphasizing that no farmer would be forced to part with their property.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, the farmers reported being trapped in a "red zone" classification since the land was initially notified in 2007-08 under then-Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Because of the red zone designation, residents have been unable to sell or develop their land or obtain bank loans using their properties.

Sunil, a farmer from Byramangala, explained that agriculture in the area is no longer profitable due to sewage flowing into the Vrishabhavathi river. Another local farmer, 80-year-old Yalakki Gowda, stated that past requests to remove their lands from the red zone yielded no results, leading them to seek a resolution through the current acquisition process.

The Karnataka government has already issued final notifications covering about 5,450 acres across seven villages: Mandalahalli, Vaderahalli, Kempaiahnapalya, K.G. Gollarahalli, Bannigiri, Aralalusandra, and Hosuru. The pending final notifications for Byramangala and Kanchugarahalli account for roughly 1,850 acres.

To evaluate the ongoing dispute, Mr. Shivakumar has formed a committee headed by Justice (retd.) Guhanathan Narendar, former Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, to re-examine the project and submit a report within 30 days.