Udupi land owners allege injustice in compensation

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Oct 11, 2017: Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, advocate Mangesh Shanbhag said that the first notification for the land acquisition was announced in June, 2015 for the second phase widening in the district. The amount awarded is too meagre, even at rates then prevailing, comparing the present rates it’s just a pittance.


Land owners who are relinquishing their lands for the widening of the national highway in the second phase of the project extending from Kundapur to Shiroor have alleged impropriety in the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the district administration’s decision of the compensation package.

Advocate Mangesh Shanbhag added that as per the government decided market value, one cent of land in the adjacent areas of national highway cost Rs 2 lakh. But the amount that is considered is Rs 30,000, for one cent.

When the NHAI had decided to offer Rs 75,000 per cent in the first phase of land acquisition in 2012, the land losers opposed the move and the then DC Dr Vishal in 2015 decided to pay an additional Rs 50,000 in the arbitration that was held for the applications of the land owners giving up land. Following which, Rs 1.25 lakh was offered to one cent of land.

However the present Udupi DC is biased and has rejected the applicants appeals demanding more. The appellate authority too has shown impropriety and bias towards certain landowners, he added.

"In Nandanavana village, one cent of land is awarded Rs 1,42,750 and the adjacent one cent of land is offered Rs 30,000-- which is total injustice. The deputy commissioner is wasting time unnecessarily and has failed to consider the plight of the land losers"

He added that the PODI is also not carried out for the land which is left behind following the occupation. The RTC of the land would have two names as the landowners and poor villagers. This would make them unable to take loans on the land.

If the NHAI and district administration don’t change their attitude, the farmers would go on a silent indefinite strike from November 1. The legal course of action would also be planned.

Land owner Manjunath Udupa from Kirimanjeshwara said that he has 10 cents of land and he is offered Rs 30,000 per cent. His land is conversion land. As per the market value decided by the government, it is Rs 2.5 lakh per cent.

Udupa lamented that the land losers had to now approach administrative office in Honnavar as the second phase of the national highway widening is taken up from Kundapur and all through Uttar Kannada district and pay bribes to get work done.