Govt. going ahead with UKTL project without mandatory consent of 85% of project-affected people, allege farmers

Notices to farmers to use their land for the project under Right of Way not served as per Union Ministry of Power’s guidelines issued on June 14, 2024

Samasta UKTL (Udupi-Kasaragod Transmission Project Ltd.) and Virodhi Horata Samithigala Okkuta (Federation of Action Committees Opposing UKTL Project) on Monday, October 28, accused the government of going ahead with the project without obtaining the mandatory consent of 85% of the project-affected people.

Guidelines of both Union and State governments are not being followed while implementing the project and farmers who will lose their land for the project have been kept in the dark on the entire project, it alleged.

The Okkuta said it would soon launch a massive agitation against the project with the support of farmers from other parts of Karnataka. As a first step in this regard, it will take out a motorbike rally from Yellur in Udupi district to Punacha in Dakshina Kannada within a week.

Addressing presspersons Inna Chandrahasa Shetty, a member of the Okkuta and General Secretary of the Karkala taluk unit of Bharatiya Kisan Sangha, said that the rally will be taken out in phases to create awareness among people against the project.

He said that farmers had not been served with notices before taking up the project. The guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Power on June 14, 2024, made it clear that landowners should be issued notices before proceeding with the project.

Mr. Shetty said that farmers’ land for the project is being used under Right of Way (RoW) and not through acquisition.

He said that 1,150 acres of fertile farmland with standing crops will be directly lost to the project in the twin districts. In addition, 2,300 acres will be lost as no shed, building or structure can be built in those lands.

Mr. Shetty said that 7,800 coconut trees, 1.20 lakh pepper vines, 4,500 rubber trees, 2,500 jackfruit trees, 5,000 teak trees, 2,800 mango and 4,500 other wild trees will be lost to the project.

In addition, he said, 328 houses, 26 daivasthanas, eigh masjids, 16 temples, 14 schools and three seminaries fall under the project area of laying the 400 kV Quad DC transmission line.

Mr. Shetty said that 97% of people whose land will be used for the project opposed it.

He said that many farmers who will lose their land for the project have small farm holdings. When towers for transmission line are constructed in such lands farmers can not grow any crop on such land.

Mr. Shetty said that transmission lines can be laid underground, on the flanks of highways and railway lines, or through sea route. “Why fertile farmlands of farmers are being targetted?” he asked.

Rajeev Gowda, a member of the Vitla unit of the Okkuta, alleged that false cases are being registered against farmers opposing the project. Farmers are also being threatened using the police, he alleged.

Sridhar Shetty, president, of Dakshina Kannada unit of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha (Hasiru Sene), said that the elected representatives including the Members of Parliament and MLAs in the twin districts are not bothered to listen to the woes of farmers.

Published - October 28, 2024 09:05 pm IST