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Farmers in Karnataka's Tumkur Demand Water in Exchange for Land for Yettinahole Project

Reported by

Tamanna Naseer

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Published on

June 16, 2020

May 17, 2022

Edited on

June 16, 2020

State

Karnataka

Sector

Infrastructure

People Affected by Conflict

437

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

160

ha

Starting Year

Location of Conflict

Tiptur tehsil

Edenahalli, Halepalya, Kanchaghatta, Bommalapura, Madihalli, Geddalihalli villages

Tumkur

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Water Management

Construction of pipelines and canals to divert river water

Land Conflict Summary

Seven droughtstricken villages in Tumkur districts Tiptur tehsil have protested against the acquisition of land for the Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project as government officials and politicians have not accepted their demand of receiving 1.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) water from the project in exchange for their land and have neither clarified the amount of compensation that they will receive for the same. The project is currently in the survey stage in Tiptur, but farmers are already boycotting such procedures. Land is proposed to be acquired from Bommalapura, Madihalli, Geddalahalli, Edenahalli, Halepalya and Kanchaghatta villages in Tiptur, which is grappling with depleting groundwater levels, but the farmers from these villages will be unable to access any water from the project. Yettinahole is a tributary of the Netravati river in Dakshin Kannada district. The government plans to divert 24 TMC, or 672 billion litres, of the river water to provide drinking water to the droughtprone districts of Kolar, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapura, Hassan and Tumkur through pipeline and canals. If executed, the project will submerge many villages, affecting farmlands and displacing families. Even fisherfolk are expected to be affected due to the reduced water flow in catchment areas of the stream. According to activists, the 91 families in Tiptur from whom land will be acquired fear that they may not be compensated** **as per the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, because government officials have not yet announced the compensation amount. They have demanded that the government lay out the details of the compensation before they proceed with the survey. They have also accused the government of trying to rush through the work without discussing the rehabilitation and resettlement processes. They told LCW that there is an attempt to lure villagers by paying a small amount and getting tripartite agreements signed among three parties farmers, contractors doing the civil work and Special Land Acquisition Officer. On May 24, 2019, the National Green Tribunal gave the green signal to the project. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change also approved the project following a spot inspection carried out in December 2015. Local organisations, such as Yettinahole Horata Samiti, have held several meetings with the affected farmers in Tiptur and tried to educate them about the land acquisition law. The Samiti, along with the Yettinahole Protection Committee and others, have also organised several demonstrations in Tiptur and blocked roads as a form of protest. On June 10, 2019, activists were detained for a few hours for protesting along with some 1,000 farmers in front of the Tiptur Municipal Council office.   On December 24, the Yettinahole Horata Samiti submitted a memorandum to the Tiptur Assistant Commissioner underlining their demands, which included fixing of compensation amount before the start of work, adequate compensation to land owners under the LARR Act and cancellation of surveys done in the absence of land owners. The project had received the Cabinet's approval in 2012 and reports suggest that it is likely to miss the June 2020 deadline of completion of the first phase by at least a year due to delays in land acquisition. 

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

No items found.

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for water in exchange of land, demand for compensation amount to be determined and notified prior to acquisition

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Private

Type of Common Land

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

25000

Type of investment:

Revised Investment

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Other

Legislations/Policies Involved

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 16: [Preparation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme]; Section 27: [Determination of amount of compensation]
Biological Diversity Act, 2002
Section 36(4): [Union government to conduct assessment of environmental impact of that project which is likely to have adverse effect on biological diversity]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

No items found.

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Disposed

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

Case Number

APPLICATION No. 303 of 2014 (SZ)

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Arrest/detention/imprisonment

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

Activists were detained for a few hours for protesting along with some 1,000 farmers.

Date of Violation

June 10, 2019

Location of Violation

Tiptur City Municipal Council Office

Additional Information

Nature of Protest

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Blockades

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Resources

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Images

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Video

Seven droughtstricken villages in Tumkur districts Tiptur tehsil have protested against the acquisition of land for the Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project as government officials and politicians have not accepted their demand of receiving 1.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) water from the project in exchange for their land and have neither clarified the amount of compensation that they will receive for the same. The project is currently in the survey stage in Tiptur, but farmers are already boycotting such procedures. Land is proposed to be acquired from Bommalapura, Madihalli, Geddalahalli, Edenahalli, Halepalya and Kanchaghatta villages in Tiptur, which is grappling with depleting groundwater levels, but the farmers from these villages will be unable to access any water from the project. Yettinahole is a tributary of the Netravati river in Dakshin Kannada district. The government plans to divert 24 TMC, or 672 billion litres, of the river water to provide drinking water to the droughtprone districts of Kolar, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapura, Hassan and Tumkur through pipeline and canals. If executed, the project will submerge many villages, affecting farmlands and displacing families. Even fisherfolk are expected to be affected due to the reduced water flow in catchment areas of the stream. According to activists, the 91 families in Tiptur from whom land will be acquired fear that they may not be compensated** **as per the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, because government officials have not yet announced the compensation amount. They have demanded that the government lay out the details of the compensation before they proceed with the survey. They have also accused the government of trying to rush through the work without discussing the rehabilitation and resettlement processes. They told LCW that there is an attempt to lure villagers by paying a small amount and getting tripartite agreements signed among three parties farmers, contractors doing the civil work and Special Land Acquisition Officer. On May 24, 2019, the National Green Tribunal gave the green signal to the project. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change also approved the project following a spot inspection carried out in December 2015. Local organisations, such as Yettinahole Horata Samiti, have held several meetings with the affected farmers in Tiptur and tried to educate them about the land acquisition law. The Samiti, along with the Yettinahole Protection Committee and others, have also organised several demonstrations in Tiptur and blocked roads as a form of protest. On June 10, 2019, activists were detained for a few hours for protesting along with some 1,000 farmers in front of the Tiptur Municipal Council office.   On December 24, the Yettinahole Horata Samiti submitted a memorandum to the Tiptur Assistant Commissioner underlining their demands, which included fixing of compensation amount before the start of work, adequate compensation to land owners under the LARR Act and cancellation of surveys done in the absence of land owners. The project had received the Cabinet's approval in 2012 and reports suggest that it is likely to miss the June 2020 deadline of completion of the first phase by at least a year due to delays in land acquisition. 

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

No items found.

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for water in exchange of land, demand for compensation amount to be determined and notified prior to acquisition

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Private

Type of Common Land

Total investment involved (in Crores):

25000

Type of investment:

Revised Investment

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Other

Legislations/Policies Involved

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 16: [Preparation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme]; Section 27: [Determination of amount of compensation]
Biological Diversity Act, 2002
Section 36(4): [Union government to conduct assessment of environmental impact of that project which is likely to have adverse effect on biological diversity]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

No items found.

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Disposed

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

Case Number

APPLICATION No. 303 of 2014 (SZ)

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Arrest/detention/imprisonment

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

Activists were detained for a few hours for protesting along with some 1,000 farmers.

Date of Violation

June 10, 2019

Location of Violation

Tiptur City Municipal Council Office

Nature of Protest

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Blockades

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Limited

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

On being asked why villagers are protesting against land acquisition for the Yettinahole project in Tiptur tehsil, G.D. Shekar, Yettinahole Special Land Acquisition Officer, Tumkur, told LCW over phone: "Out of 33 villages in Tiptur, only seven villages are not allowing officials to conduct survey, primarily because land is being acquired from these villages for two other projects as well -- a bypass road project and national highway project -- besides Yettinahole. The villagers have asked for drinking water and fair compensation. Although the local people are good and might get convinced to give up their land, realtors are provoking them." On whether the government is offering them adequate compensation, Shekar said, "The land acquisition process is at a very nascent stage here. We are only conducting surveys at this stage; discussions will take place over the compensation amount later, and the villagers will be given time to file their complaints."

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Documented By

Text Link

Reviewed By

Text Link

Updated By

Text Link

Edited By

Text LinkLand Conflict Watch

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