ನಂದಗುಡಿ ಫಾರ್ಮೆರ್ಸ್ struggle

Nandagudi







Nandagudi which is in Hoskote taluk of Bangalore rural district is situated 50 kms. from the capital. The place is geographically rich with its fertile soil. The entire population is dependent on agriculture and horticulture. The place is known for a variety of vegetables, sericulture and animal husbandry. Their contributions towards animal husbandry is considerable. Besides, they are engaged in agro based activities like sericulture. There is also poultry. Around 60 % of the families own between 0.5 acres to 5 acres of land and around 20% of the families own about 3 to 5 acres. There are about 10% families owning land between 5 to 10 acres. Majority of the families are

poor. So far 12500 acres and 18507 acres totaling 31007 acres of land have been identified for SEZ and township respectively. Out of the total land area 24% has been earmarked for the poor. This land has also been snatched from them.

The government which is rushing headlong into this project has already done enough damage to this village even before the proposal to set up SEZ. This area which is about 30kms from Bangalore International Air Port of Devanahalli was given a highway corridor facility even before the SEZ and township was proposed. The government which has failed to construct even a toilet for one lakh eighty five thousand four hundred forty seven villagers-as government documents themselves testify, has given bar licenses to each and every village. Nandagudi occupies the top slot in the list of villages without toilets. Even today the villagers in Nadagudi are dependent on way side vacant places to defecate. All are aware why government is keen to take up high way corridor project in this area. This project is nothing but a scheme that will provide easy transportation between Bangalore International Airport and SEZ/Township. Already several villages have been sacrificed their lands for this project.

Who provided the false information to the finance ministry of at the centre?

All SEZs have to get the project approved by the Board of Approval headed by the cabinet ministers of the central government. The proposal to set up SEZ at Nandagudi was sent by the government of Karnataka by keeping the people affected by the project in the dark about the number of villages selected for the project even as the people affected by the project have registered their protest. When one of the journalists pointed out this to the concerned official the official replied that the ministry has not received any such information from the government of Karnataka.

As per the amendment made on 15-6-07 by the UPA government to the SEZ Act and the guidelines based on this amendment, SEZ can be established only if it is wholly acceptable to the owners of the land from whom the land is to be acquired. Even in the face of strong and vocal protests, who has given the false information to the Central Board of Approval?

Key players in this farce
The congress leaders are accusing the JDS government headed by Kumaraswamy of acquiring the Lands in Nandagudi for SEZ without explaining the reasons for acquisition to the centre. They are raising a hue and cry over an issue which was originally the making of their own government at the center. The leftist government in West Bengal which has massacred the farmers in Singur is also coming up with programmes to hide its failure to protect the lives of its citizens. B.J.P. is tight lipped about SEZs which have been originally developed by NDA government. The coalition government in Karnataka which has remained unfazed by wide scale protests against the SEZs has intensified its land acquisition drives. The farmers, farm workers and other marginalized sections will be the ultimate victims of the mindless moves taken by the government.
Government which has gone back on its words
The Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and Minister for Large Industries Katta Subramaniam Naidu have given assurance that under no circumstances the government would acquire the land from the farmers for Nandagudi SEZ. But in the recent session of the lower house of the Assembly, to a question from Sri Rama Reddy, MLA from Bagepalli, the Large Industries Minister Katta Subramaniam Naidu had replied that 4861.85 acres of land which has been acquired through KIADB has been allotted to the SEZs which have been approved by the government. As per the government documents only 2500 acres have been earmarked for multi product SEZs. Flouting all norms the government has allotted 12500 acres of land in Nandagudi to the Skill Infrastructure which is more than the land originally earmarked.

Empty promises
The government, which has promised to bring heaven to earth to the farmers of Nandagudi after the establishment of SEZ, has realized that it is by no means a task. When it comes to employment guarantee for the farmers, they can get as far as sweepers and watchmen in the parks –because the SEZs are completely capital intensive and technology oriented units which has little use for the farmers of this land.

On paper the proposal to rehabilitate the farmers who have lost their lands to SEZs in the multi storied buildings within the SEZs appears fine.
But the question is will this work out for the people who have been leading a life entirely dependent on pastoral activities such as farming, poultry, etc.? More than 50% of the people whose lands have been acquired are still running from pillar to post to get the compensation. The struggles of some of the farmers who have lost their lands and who are still awaiting the compensation will bear ample testimony to the betrayal by the government.
Fate of the labourers
The fate of the agricultural laborers who are facing loss of livelihood due to this project is one of the issues which has been conveniently forgotten by the government, which has promised heaven to the farmers at the time of acquisition of the land. A vast majority of the labourers is landless and belongs to dalit families. They are working in small farm holdings where they get a lowly wages of Rs 40 per day. Where shall they go if these small farms are going into the hands of MNCs?
Our survival is invariably linked to the survival of the farmers. When the farmers themselves are facing eviction and displacement where shall we go? The government headed by the son of the soil has neither courage nor patience to answer these questions.

Township and SEZs: twin faces of the same coin

The inhuman and cruel hide and seek game being played by the state government with the lives of the farmers does not end here. The government which has lied to the public when it took up township project with the supposed intension of reducing the traffic pressure , in fact proposed this project with a view to facilitate SEZs.

Understanding the background of the townships will help us in understanding the preparations that went into the SEZ project that is going to occupy the entire hobli of Nandagudi. Due to indiscriminate land grabbing by the agencies supported and aided by international monetary agencies, there is no longer any land available for setting up trade centers in Bangalore. Therefore, the outskirts of the Bangalore city were selected with a view to establish industrial colonies and accordingly a township project proposal was placed before BMRDA which in turn projected this as its own proposal and incorporated all the aspects of SEZ into this proposal and placed it before the government.

Even though the township and SEZ are two different concepts, in essence it seeks to locate residential areas alongside the industrial areas. So the construction of townships on the land which were originally acquired for SEZs serves the twin purposes of having land for the industries and for the residential apartments for the employees working therein.
In case of Nandagudi the proposal to establish SEZs in half of the area and township in the remaining half has been developed with the above objective in mind. It was not the government which had determined the extent of lands required for this project, but it was decided by the companies. They had already identified the villages of their choice and the subsequent acquisition was made to appear as if it was approved by the government. The necessary lands required for both the projects with efficient transportation and water sources were selected in Bidadi, Ramanagara, Sathanur, Nandagudi, and Solur. A total number of 27 villages covering 61961 acres (out of which 21067 acres of land is government land) of land were selected for SEZ and Township projects. As part of the first phase of the project, a global tender was invited for Bidadi project. In response to this, 126 companies including Reliance group led by Anil and Mukesh Ambani and a few companies from Singapore and Holland have submitted their tenders.

The government which has come forward to acquire the lands belonging to 19000 farmers of Bidadi through KIADB soon indulged in large-scale real estate trade. Even though the SEZ and Townships differ only in nomenclature the basic purpose of both the project is to grab the agricultural land. In Nandagudi both the projects are going hammer and tongs to acquire the lands belonging to the farmers. The government on its part has openly supported this initiative.

We rarely find anyone owning more than five acres of land in Nandagudi. Around 98% of the population ekes out a living by growing vegetables in small pieces of lands and selling them in Bangalore. This accounts for the 30% of the supply of vegetables to Bangalore. We will be courting disaster if these villages are going to be handed over to these projects.

The greenery surrounding the entire Nandagudi area reminds us of Malnad. The cabinet ministers and the government officials have to be taken to this place to make them realize their folly in handing over this beautiful place to the foreign companies. The opposition which is
supposed to do this is sadly ill-equipped for this as it does not have sufficient information on what is happening around here.

Statutes and laws to the dust bin

The system which invokes laws at the drop of a hat and rides rough shod over the common man – for example forest department which is notorious for its highhandedness in its dealings with the tribal population- has gone extremely soft in handling large-scale felling of trees to accommodate MNCs.

According to the Forest Act no forest land can be used for developmental projects. But the government which is bent on implementing SEZ in Nandagudi has destroyed 5500 acres of forest with impunity.

The government which is eager to place the entire Nandagudi in the hands of MNCs has declared that under no circumstances it would buy the lands directly from the farmers and that the investors are to directly deal with the farmers. But it has created such a situation where the farmers in Nandagudi were forced to sell their agricultural land at much below the market price.

The land acquisition and matters pertaining to the purchase of the land has been made simple by making suitable amendments to the City Corporation Act and Zilla Panchayath Act. Besides, as per section 49 of Special Economic Zone Act 2005, the SEZs are exempted from all state and central legislations. No Indian court can deal with the litigations arising from the SEZs. It has been stipulated that all disputes have to be resolved in International Court of Law. The government has issued a directive asking all the aggrieved parties to file their suits in the International courts!

As if this is not enough, the workers in the SEZ are not permitted to form trade unions. Passport is required for entering these zones. The 74th amendment to the constitution which upheld the autonomy of the local elected bodies such as Village Panchayath, City Corporation, municipality, etc is not applicable in SEZs.

The Taluk Magistrate is not aware of revenue, forest and government land details

As for Nandagudi the lands required for the project have been identified discreetly without the knowledge of the grama panachayath. The villagers are accusing the Tehisldar for his ignorance about the extent of lands under different categories such as revenue land, government land, forest land, etc. Is this the way an officer occupying a responsible position in one of the largest hoblies of Karnataka state? The officials of the Horticulture department have further confused the farmers by initiating the survey of various crops that are grown in different areas.