Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Thursday said that the government will take a final decision of providing additional land to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) only after the Supreme Court verdict.

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“The issue has been pending before the apex court. The state’s hand is tied and we are not in a position to take any decision on giving additional land to NICE. We have considered the demand of farmers and we will take a final decision,” he said after holding a meeting with the farmers affected by the project.

KS Puttannaiah, president of the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, said that the organisation submitted its demand before the chief minister. 

“He has assured that he will  consider our views and take a final decision on giving land to NICE. But farmers have set a 15-day deadline for the state government to denotify the land acquired for the NICE project,” said Puttannaiah.

The farmers said that NICE, which is implementing BMICP, had been given 1,330 acres in excess for the project. They accused the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) of handing over the excess land to NICE through an absolute sale deed, instead of dropping the acquisition, thus depriving farmers of their homes.

The farmers also said that the land acquired from them was near the peripheral and link roads and cost a few crores of rupees, but they were paid a meagre compensation of Rs3 lakh an acre.

They said that though 20,193 acres were allotted for the project, it was not specified as to which land had been allotted. NICE authorities acquired land wherever they wanted.

Two weeks ago, over 100 farmers went on a fast-unto-death protest against additional land acquisition for the project. The protest was withdrawn after the state government assured to call a meeting with them.