Hubballi: People of Bagalkot and Vijayapur, who are likely to be displaced by the third phase of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) - which could see the biggest land acquisition undertaken for any irrigation project in the country - are threatening to launch a massive movement to bring pressure on the government to compensate them adequately.
As many as 22 villages and 131 lakh acres in Vijayapur and Bagalkot districts and 10 wards of Bagalkot city are set to be submerged when the height of the Almatti dam is raised from the present 519 meters to 524 metres in the third phase of the project.
Sixteen years ago hundreds of farmers had launched a movement seeking adequate compensation when as many as 192 villages were submerged in these districts in the first phase of the project.
In response, then CM J.H. Patel had formed a committee to arrive at a proper compensation. Over a decade later others farmers are set to revive the movement under the same banner, this time making 31 demands, including adequate compensation.
"Nearly 200 villages, which were shifted under the first phase, have still not been provided basic amenities. We are demanding compensation of Rs 30 lakh per acre for dry land and Rs 40 lakh for irrigated land as the compensation being offered under new Land Acquisition Act is not acceptable. All the displaced people from the three districts will launch a movement with the support of political leaders cutting across party lines,” said Ms Vasanna Desai, president of Upper Krishna Project Rehabilitation Committee.
To begin with the committee has organised a rally of over 8,000 motorcyclists on July 2 to create awareness among the displaced farmers. The Congress had promised to complete the Upper Krishna Project was on a war footing in the run up to the last Assembly elections by allocating it Rs 10,000 crore annually for five years.
