While earlier, the farmers demanded 60% of developed lands as compensation, on Friday, they agreed to 40%.
Farmers of Arkavathy, who have been agitating for over two months against the formation of a layout by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) on their lands, on Friday relented to one major demand. While earlier, the farmers demanded 60% of developed lands as compensation, on Friday, they agreed to 40%.
Although chief minister BS Yeddyurappa promised to meet the farmers, he was absent. The committee that the chief minister had earlier formed for the resolution of the Arkavathy issue, which included energy minister Shobha Karandlaje, housing minister V Somanna, home minister R Ashoka and MP for Bangalore South, DB Chandre Gowda, along with MLA Krishna Byre Gowda discussed the details of the layout with the farmers.
HA Shivakumar, a villager from Sampigehalli and representative of farmers, said that although the meeting was fruitful, there was still no clarity.
A second meeting has been scheduled for mid-February.
He said the farmers were not promised any cash compensation.
The decision of 2003, when Rs10lakh was to be offered as compensation for each acre, would no longer hold, he said. He said the farmers had demanded exemption from stamp duty and registration fees, while taking possession of the land. The committee unable to offer any clarity has sought more time.
Farmers had also demanded betterment charges for buildings already constructed.
The committee assured farmers that the matter would be resolved in the next budget session. Though farmers expressed satisfaction over the discussions, they asserted that the strike would continue, and a course of action decided in the next meeting.
The last time the farmers met the chief minister was on January 20. They also met the BDA commissioner and demanded that the formation of the layout be halted, as the land had been acquired in little islands, and not contiguously. They argued that the livelihood of farmers would be affected, and even those who occupy the layout would find it broken into pockets.
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