Farmers divided over landacquisition in Devanahalli

Bengaluru: Minutes before chief minister Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting with officials and legal experts Saturday to address the demand to halt the acquisition proceedings for 1,777 acres of fertile farmland in Channarayapatna hobli of Devanahalli taluk, a small group of farmers submitted a memorandum giving their consent for the land acquisition with a few conditions.

The main condition of the farmers' group was that the govt should fix Rs 3.5 crore as compensation for one acre, and provide jobs for the children of the farmers who lose their land. They also demanded that the govt not announce the Channarayapatna area as a green zone—which allows landowners to use their lands for agricultural purposes only—and that it be declared a yellow zone, which would allow for commercial use of the land.

The chief minister's office released the memorandum submitted by the Channarayapatna Raita Horata Samiti. Meanwhile, the farmers who protested since the govt published the preliminary notification for land acquisition, said they didn't have any role in the memorandum.

Mavalli Shankar, state convener of Dalit Sangarsha Samithi (Ambedkar Vada), alleged that the group of farmers who gave their consent are Congress workers in Devanahalli.

"A group, which was supporting Congress, was against the farmers' protest against the land acquisition from day one. The govt realised that the farmers' protest in Devanahalli succeeded in drawing nationwide support. So, the govt is making attempts to suppress the protest by getting this kind of letter from Congress workers," said Shankar.

Karahalli Srinivas, a farmer, told TOI that the protest will continue until the govt halts the land acquisition process. "The letter was given by the local Congress workers. The attempts made by the govt to weaken the farmers' unity will die soon," said Srinivas.

Siddaramaiah recently assured a delegation of farmers that the issue would be resolved by July 15 after seeking opinions from legal experts. In a bid to finalise the govt's stand on the issues, including the possibilities of dropping the land acquisition process, he held discussions with legal experts Saturday evening.

Sources said that the chief minister will announce the govt decision on July 15.