Hebbalkar and Abhay Patil clash over land acquisition

BELAGAVI: The meeting called by forest minister Satish Jarkiholi to discuss the issue of land acquisition to set-up a sewage treatment plant (STP) here on Saturday witnessed a verbal clash between Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar and Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil.
Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) has planned to set-up an STP on 17 acres and 30 guntas of land at Halaga village, close to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS). The 21 farmers from whom the land has been acquired have approached the court against the acquisition. Hence Jarkiholi had called for a meeting with the farmers at the DC office on Saturday. Since the land falls under the Rural constituency, Laxmi Hebbalkar stood in favour of the farmers and opposed the land acquisition. “Why are lands only in Belagavi (rural) constituency being targeted. Already people of Halaga have given land for the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha,” she said.

She also suggested that some open land in Khasbag area of Belagavi (South) constituency could be used for the STp. Her statement infuriated Abhay Patil, who said he did not indulge in politics in development issues. Patil said he had the guts to convince people if land was required for development work, adding that he was ready to convince the people of Bhagya Nagar to give their land if it was feasible for the STP. Both MLAs later got involved in a loud argument.

Farmers present in the meeting said they would commit mass suicide if their fertile land was acquired. Farmers Sukumar Bellad, Suresh Sabannavar and Devendra Balekundri said the farmers would not give up their land at any cost. They also alleged that no proper procedures had been followed during land acquisition. The said that before selecting th eir land in Halaga, BCC had identified government land at Alarwad and had even spent several crores to implement the project. They asked why that land was not being used for the STP.

Responding to the farmers, BCC commissioner Shashidhar Kurer said the land in Halaga was selected considering a technical feasibility report. The land in Alarwad is not feasible besides several housing colonies are close to the area, he added. Kurer said the land acquisition process at Halaga was completed and there are no provisions to return the land to the farmers.

MP Prakash Hukkeri said there was a need to find alternative ways either by exchanging land or giving higher compensation. The authorities can also find alternative land, he added.

Jarkiholi told officials to form a committee including five farmers and the officers concerned to find a solution.