| Land bought from the then Minister’s brother |
Farmers upset at selling their land to buyer at a cheap rate
Government’s rate in taluk: Rs. 1.2 lakh an acre for arid land, Rs. 1.9 lakh for cultivable land
CHICKABALLAPUR: Even as the Opposition parties are demanding a high-level probe into the purchase of land by the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) for a housing project in Shidlaghatta taluk of Chickaballapur district, the official documents pertaining to the land deal suggest that the project was apparently planned to favour a few powerful individuals.
According to the documents available at the Sub-registrar’s office in Shidlaghatta, copies of which are in possession of The Hindu, the State Government on February 20, 2009, passed an order for purchasing 959 acres of land for the proposed project. However, barely 24 hours later, the KHB on February 21 purchased around 10 acres of land at Rs. 50 lakh an acre from S.N. Sreenivasa Shetty, brother of the then Housing Minister S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty, and his business associate A.B. Ramesh.
On the same day, the KHB, according to the documents, issued a cheque for Rs. 5.98 crore to the sellers. The cheque (No.736026) that was drawn on Corporation Bank’s S.P. Road branch, Bangalore, was encashed the same day.
In all, the KHB has purchased 30.31 acres of land from Mr. Shetty and Mr. Ramesh in G.Venkatapura, Sugutur, Buluvanahalli, Hospete and other villages in Jangamakote hobli of Shidlaghatta taluk at a cost of Rs. 15 crore. The farmers were reportedly paid only Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 16 lakh an acre by the two buyers. The Government’s fixed rate in the taluk, according to official sources, was Rs. 1.2 lakh an acre for arid land and Rs. 1.9 lakh for cultivable land.
Agitated farmers who had sold their land at a cheap rate to Mr. Shetty and Mr. Ramesh, on learning that their land had been resold for a whopping Rs. 50 lakh an acre, alleged that the two had purchased land from them with the sole intention of selling the same to the KHB at a hefty price.
Kumaraswamy regime bought land at higher rates, says Chief Minister Special Correspondent
BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Thursday alleged that the State Government purchased 175 acres of land for the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences at Ramanagara paying Rs. 40 lakh an acre at Archakarahalli when H.D. Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister, and so far Rs. 7.5 crore had been paid.
Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the guidance value at Doddmannugudde village, near Archakarahalli was Rs. 2.5 lakh and Rs. 3.38 lakh for dry and horticultural land respectively.
At the nearby Belagumba village, the value was Rs. 1.5 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh, and at Bolappanahalli Rs. 4 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh, respectively. But, the price was raised to Rs. 30 lakh and Rs. 37.50 lakh for these categories of land in Archakarahalli, where the university needed it.
For some pieces of land in Ramanagara, the Government acquired it paying Rs. 40 lakh an acre which was 10 times higher.
‘Interference’Mr. Yeddyurappa said these details showed that the previous government had interfered in fixing guidance value, much higher than the market value burdening the exchequer to help their people.
He said that this deal had to be inquired into.
The Chief Minister alleged that the KIADB on March 31, 2008 acquired 918 acres at Dhummanahalli and Singahalli in Devanahalli taluk for an industrial estate paying an amount in the range of Rs. 55 lakh to Rs. 57 lakh and paid Rs. 321 crore. But, the KHB had paid Rs. 50 lakh an acre at Jangamahalli and other villages in Sidlaghatta taluk, which was not high.
This area is just five km from where the KIADB had purchased 918 acres, he added.
Mr.Yeddyurappa said that Rs.9 lakh to Rs.11 lakh was paid for an acre of land at Kenchatavalli, Samudravalli, Gekaravalli and Bhuvanahalli villages in Hassan for the airport, whereas the guidance value was in the range of Rs. 42,000 to Rs.1.48 lakh, an acre.
Earlier, Transport Minister R. Ashok informed the Assembly, after the Opposition walkout, that in 2006-07, the KHB purchased 750 acres at Hinnakki, Masaroor and Lingapura of Anekal taluk for the Suryanagara second stage layout. The government paid Rs. 34 lakh an acre and a 30 X 40 ft site to the farmer, whereas the guidance value was in the range of Rs.1.25 lakh to Rs.1 lakh, an acre.
The other towns where the previous government made higher payments for land were Koppal (Rs.7 lakh where as the guidance value was Rs.40,000), Mangalore (Rs.14 lakh, guidance value Rs. 2.60 lakh), Mysore (Rs.16 lakh, guidance value Rs. 2 lakh), Nanjangud (Rs. 8.50 lakh, guidance value Rs.2 lakh), Gulbarga airport (Rs.1.25 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh, guidance value between Rs. 22,000 to Rs.40,000) and Shimoga airport (Rs.7 lakh, guidance value between Rs.38,000 and Rs.2.80 lakh).
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