Bantwal: Farmers allege HPCL of laying gas pipeline without informing them

Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Nov 19: The locals in the surrounding areas of the HPCL gas pipeline project on Tuesday November 19 alleged that HPCL has gone ahead with the pipeline project keeping the affected farmers in the dark.

The Mangalore–Hassan–Mysore–Soloor gas pipeline project victims submitted their objection to the assistant commissioner at B C Road. They said that the company officials do not issue them notice before measuring their land for the project.  The company has not informed the purpose for which the land is being measured and not informed about the compensation, they said.
 
They said that the pipeline laid for petrol and diesel has leaked in 28 places and questioned HPCL manager Yuvaraj as to what action will be taken by him in the case of accident due to leakage.  The officials had taken over the right of a piece of land in a particular survey number which had prevented the owner of the land from mortgaging it. The company officials have not informed the farmers in this respect, they said.
 
They said that many small farmers are staying in the region and if the pipeline passed through their small portions of land, they would not be able to carry on agriculture. The affected farmers insisted that they will not allow the pipeline project.
 
A C Krishnamurthy said that the project cannot be stopped as it is a central government project and offered to convey a report with their objection to the government.  Baby Shetty Kavalakatte of the committee said that any project can be stopped with united efforts from the people affected.
 
Advocate K Ramesh Upadyaya, Suresh Shetty, Raghunath Payyade, Panjikallu Grama panchayat members Chidananda, Balakrishna Shetty Pallipadi, Devappa Poojary and affected committee members were present.