Belagavi City Corporation resolves to compensate land losers

Belagavi City Corporation compensates landowners for road construction, despite opposition from members, to avoid judicial censure.

Belagavi City Corporation has decided to compensate all those who have lost land to road construction, widening or those who suffered property loss due to demolition.

This was decided in a special meeting of the urban local body in Belagavi on Tuesday following an order from the High Court of Karnataka in Dharwad.

The order has asked the city corporation to deposit ₹20 crore with the special land acquisition officer before Thursday, when the next hearing is scheduled.

Mayor Savita Kamble instructed officers to pay compensation of ₹20 crore to avoid judicial censure of the corporation. She announced her decision despite objections by opposition members in the House.

Corporation Commissioner Ashok Dudagunti read out the details of the case. He said that the court has issued strict instructions to the corporation asking it to deposit the amount and that there is no way to escape it.

Belagavi Smart City Ltd. managing director S. Afreen Banu Ballari said that the works were taken up after approvals. And, no objection letters were issued by the local advisory committee that consisted of MLAs and other elected representatives.

The case refers to the encroachment of land belonging to Balasaheb Patil who lost around 50 guntas of land in the city worth around ₹18 crore.