Shivamogga airport: Residents who lost land threaten to protest seeking sites

PM Modi is likely to inaugurate the airport on February 27; the families which gave up their land are planning to stage a dharna after February 5 if their demands are not met

Ahead of the inauguration of the airport at Sogane near Shivamogga, possibly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people who parted with their land for the project are planning a protest. The residents of seven villages in Shivamogga taluk have urged Shivamogga district administration to allot sites measuring 60/40 to all 305 families, as promised earlier, before February 5. They have warned the administration of staging protest in front of the airport if their demand was not fulfilled within the deadline.

The airport has come up on 663 acres of land with an investment of ₹449.22 crores for the project by the government. The airport is said to be the second biggest in the State after the Bengaluru international airport and construction is in the final stages. Technical teams from Airport Authority of India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation are expected to complete the formalities within weeks so that the airport is ready for operation. PM Modi is expected to inaugurate the airport on February 27.

The project was proposed during the JD(S)-BJP alliance rule in 2007, when B.S.Yediyurappa was the Deputy Chief Minister. The government acquired land from 305 families. Those who possessed the land got ₹7 lakh per acre while the bagairhukum cultivators got ₹2 lakh per acre. Besides that, the government, in writing, had assured all the land losers a site.

“For 15 years, we have been waiting for the grant of sites,” said Anil Kumar G., a member of Sogane Gram Panchayat. His family gave up three acres of land for the airport project. “The government had also assured a job each to families. However, it was only an oral assurance. But since the assurance of sites was in writing, some families have moved court,” he said.

The district administration has maintained that the families will get sites sanctioned in Karnataka Housing Board layout provided the petition pending before the High Court was withdrawn. However, the families are not ready to withdraw the petition until the sites are allotted.

R.Vijay Kumar, a resident of Santhekadur, who is leading the families in the protests, told The Hindu that the people had lost trust in the administration. “Last year, the government acquired an additional 24 acres of land as the plan for the runway was revised. The elected representatives had assured the land losers ₹40 lakhs per acre. Later, the administration did not give the amount, stating that the land acquired was government land,” he said.

Besides that, 51 people of Vinayakanagar were distributed cultivation slips near the airport in September 2022. Later however, the beneficiaries received notices asking them why the grant of land should not be cancelled. “People do not believe the statements of elected representatives. Let the district administration pay the amount to Karnataka Housing Board and ensure the sites are allotted immediately. Otherwise, we will launch a dharna in front of the airport after February 5,” Mr. Vijay Kumar said.