Nearly half of the people served notice have filed their submissions before the Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) of KIADB at Dharwad.
Of the 232 notices served, 144 persons have replied and nearly 97 land owners had outrightly opposed the land acquisition and categorically declared before the land acquisition officer that they would not give their lands. Forty-seven land owners have given ‘conditional consent’ for giving their lands.
According to the Assistant Commissioner of Dharwad district, Mr Shivanand Kapse, “232 notices served to the land owners for acquisition of land for the proposed Posco steel plant at Gadag, 144 persons had filed their submissions before KIADB till Monday, which was the last date for filing submissions for the notices served so far.”
The main conditions set by the farmers for giving their lands are compensation of Rs 30 lakh/acre, allotment of company shares to the affected families and job for one member of each of the affected families.
Mr Kapse said that in addition to the 144 persons, as many as 48 had voluntarily filed their submissions before the KIADB.
“These land owners whom we had not issued notices to come for the hearing, came here on their own and conveyed their opinion. While 35 of them were opposed to giving their lands, 13 wanted to give the lands provided their conditions including compensation of Rs 30 lakh and others were met,” he said.
Agitation continues
Meanwhile, Sri Shivakumar Swamiji of Nandiveri Math of Kapotagiri joined the anti-land acquisition movement which has its epicentre in Halligudi village of Mundaragi taluk of Gadag district.
Mr S.R. Hiremath of Samaj Parivartana Samudaya (SPS), President of Samaj Parivartana Samudaya (SPS), which had filed writ petition in Supreme Court against the illegal mining in Karnataka and who is fighting against illegal mining in Karnataka Andhra Pradesh border, extended his support to farmers of Gadag.
Congress move
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Hubli on Monday, former leader of opposition in the legislative council Mr H.K. Patil, lambasted the State Government especially the Industries Minister, Mr Murugesh Nirani.
He alleged that the State Government, especially Mr Nirani, was acting like an agent of Posco without realising the responsibilities of an elected government.
In another development, members of taluk unit of Janata Dal (Secular) took out a protest march in Mundaragi opposing the land acquisition and submitted a memorandum to the tahsildar.