Media release

Mangaluru, Aug 24: Samyuktha Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi has submitted its demand to the deputy commissioner (DC) of Dakshina Kannada to carry out the process of rate fixation for their land which has already been notified for MRPL’s Phase IV expansion. They have expressed their discontentment, stating that though one year and eight months have passed for preliminary 28(1) Gazette Notification for the lands owned by them, DC has not yet initiated the price fixation procedures as per rules.

In an official press release the president of the Samyuktha Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi Ronald Fernandes Permude and the general secretary, Deepak Permude have jointly stated that 836.9369 acres of land belonging to various private owners has been covered under final Sec.28(4) Notification of KIAD Act 1966 in Kuthethur, Permude and Tenkayekkaru villages located in Bajpe and Suratkal areas. More than 70% of land owners had given their written consent and permission to this land acquisition by considering the national interest.

The committee had earlier expressed their demand to carry out the price fixation of the land prior to Joint Measurement Certification (JMC). However they were convinced by the Special Land Acquisition Officer that they would receive the compensation of around Rs. 80 lac per acre and the committee is hopeful of receiving the same.

The committee had earlier submitted the memorandum to the chief minister, minister for industry and commerce, Member of Parliament, district in-charge minister, local MLA’s and all of them have assured the support to the committee to get proper compensation for land structures and agricultural crops and also proper rehabilitation facilities.

It has been stated that the DC has been requested to carry out the rate fixation and also arrange to pay the additional compensation to the farmers for the delay caused in land acquisition process.

The committee had stated that this is the only official committee of land owners which is comprising of only genuine land owners and effected people and there is no other committee of land owners to represent the interest of land losers due to the project.

It may be recalled that MRPL has obtained the project clearance for refinery expansion and for producing other value added products/ Euro VI Quality petroleum products. This is a massive investment project of MRPL, a subsidiary of ONGC with an investment of Rs. 20,000 crore, touching to the existing refinery at Kuthethur. Moreover, this is the highest investment proposal in the history of Karnataka for a single project. The project is intended to generate the massive employment and to boost the economy of the district of Dakshina Kannada by next two to three years time. The delay in land acquisition would not only put the landowners who have agreed to give the land to KIADB for MRPL purpose to inconvenience, but also would cause the delay in project execution resulting to increase in project cost.