Mangaluru: Peasants affected by proposed ISPRL pipeline in DK & Udupi plead for justice

Bellevision Media Network

Mangaluru, 09 Apr 2015: The peasants who are affected by laying pipeline for ISPRL from Tokoor in DK district to Padoor in Udupi district presented a memorandum to DK Deputy Commissioner here on Wednesday April 8, stating that it’s a injustice to acquire farmlands for laying pipeline for ISPRL from Tokoor to Padoor, in accordance with 1962 Act, instead the acquisition should be transparent with reference to Land Acquisition Act of 2013 and amendment of 2014 – 15.

 

The leaders of affected peasants alleged that the authorities did not maintain transparency and laid the plans by sitting in the comforts of their office, instead of appointing retired officers to lay ground work such as marking the lands, identifying bonafide owners etc.  

 

The farmers were not served any notices, and the authorities are unilaterally going about in land acquisition, wherein the contractor deployed earthmovers that are forcibly engaged in laying pipeline. The situation is chaotic and tense in 24 villages of DK and Udupi districts, through which this mega pipeline will be laid, pleaded the affected peasants.

 

 

The farmers alleged that the victims of land acquisitions were fixed a compensation of 10 percent of market value in accordance to Land Acquisition Act of 118 years old. The lands besides the pipeline are restrained from conversion, alleged the farmers. The farmers demanded the authorities pay 4 times the market value of land acquired under the new Act, to award employment to victim’s families, not to impose ban on conversion of lands besides pipeline. Besides, if the authorities follow the suggestion of union minister Dharmendra Pradhan to lay the pipeline along the coast from NMPT to Kaup, the farmlands in both districts will be spared, pleaded the farmers.

 

Deputy Commissioner said that the issue to be discussed in a joint meeting of affected famers and Oil Majors. He also assured them to take appropriate action in this regard.

 

The farmers struggle Committee office bearers Abdul Wahid, Vinay L Shetty, Jagdish P, Kalattoor – Udupi farmers struggle Committee office bearers Deviprasad Shetty Belapu, Lawrence Fernandes, Chittaranjan Bhandary and Gunapal Shetty, DK district pipeline victims were present on the occasion.