Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Oct 11: Villagers of Kundapur and Shiroor, whose lands are being acquired for the widening of national highway 66, are demanding additional compensation amount, informed Mangesh Shanbagh, a lawyer from Kundapur on Tuesday, October 10.

Addressing mediapersons at Press Club here, he said that the villagers were demanding the sanction of an additional amount, in accordance with  the present market value. “The index value of department of stamps and registration, Karnataka, is more than Rs 2 lac per cent. The lands in Kundapur are worth Rs 6 lac. The special officer for land acquisition in Honnavar has fixed Rs 30,000 per cent. This is injustice to the villagers, because the fixed amount was less compared to the market value.”

“Former deputy commissioner Vishal has increased the compensation amount to Rs 1.25 lac per cent. Earlier, it was Rs 75, 000 per cent to the land acquired according to the notification of November 2, 2012. The land owners received the older price. However, the value of the land will always increase in the market,” he stated.

“There is discrimination in the distribution of compensation by the district administration. Different amount are being handed over for the lands in the same area. The district administration and the National Highway Authority should bring uniformity in compensation for all lands. The process of disposal of ‘Podi’ lands is getting delayed,” he said.

“District commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis said that the old notification is correct and Rs 30,000 is the right amount. But the land owners are not happy. The authority is delaying the proceedings of distribution of additional compensation amount. More than 1000 land owners are yet to get the additional compensation amount,” he alleged.

“Balakrishna owns 45 cents. He has not received any additional amount according to the new notification of Land Acquisition Act. Another person, Manjunath Udupa from Kirimanjeshwara lost 10 cents for road widening. He gets only Rs 15,000 per cent instead of Rs 25,000. They never approached court for legal justice. The concerned authority should take immediate and favourable decision on this. They will wait till the end of this month. If the amount is not paid by then, the villagers will hold peaceful protest in front of the DC’s office till justice is done to them,” he concluded.