Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (EP)

Belthangadi, Oct 24: Grama No. 12 residents have submitted the following petition addressed to the tahsildar at Beltangady objecting to the gas pipeline that is proposed to pass through their lands.


                

"We would like to bring the following things to your notice:

Our lands are fertile and suitable for agriculture.  We have come to know that natural gas pipeline is proposed through our lands.  We object to passing of natural gas through our lands as we are depending only on agriculture for our living.
 
Agriculture is the only source of our income.  A pipeline of petroleum products has already passed through our lands.  Besides that, electric high tension wires of Barooka company also has passed through our properties.  The use of our land for such purposes has deprived us our occupation as nearly three fourth of our land is used by concerned departments.  We are indulging in agriculture in the remaining portion of land and passing our days with great difficulty.

The officials who have come for survey work have threatened that if we do not stay away, they will demolish our houses.  We will lose an opportunity to live as responsible citizens if we lose our lands and houses.  The project will drive us as shelter less destitute.          

There are instances of petrol thefts from lands that passed through some of our lands.  Just in case such thefts occur from the gas pipelines, the entire village will burn due to such leakages and we will have to live in constant fear.

Though we had expressed our objection to the notice received earlier, the officials have ignored our objections and have marked in our RTCs that the area will be an industrial area from December 12, 2012.

We request you to consider the land as agriculture related by removing the remark in it.  We request you to investigate the matter. "