Published & Updated as on - 2010-03-25

Despite protests against land acquisition for the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday said his government was keen on completing the project, being developed by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise.

“The government is keen to complete the BMIC project. It is its responsibility to hand over land according to the rulings of the Supreme Court and the High Court, and the framework agreement,” he told reporters here. “We are keen on denotifying the excess land and returning them to farmers. We want the project to progress without being unfair to farmers.”

On the demand of the Janata Dal (Secular) for a special legislature session for a detailed discussion on the project, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Opposition could have utilised the time allotted during the budget session for a discussion on the project. Soon after the session, the JD(S) was demanding another session, which was meaningless. Though Speaker K.G. Bopaiah asked JD(S) floor leader H.D. Revanna to discuss the project during the budget session, the JD(S) members failed to grab the opportunity, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.

To discuss all issues pertaining to the BMIC, a meeting of the floor leaders of both Houses and the former Chief Ministers would be convened in April first week. The former Chief Ministers, H.D. Deve Gowda, S.M. Krishna, N. Dharam Singh and H.D. Kumaraswamy, would be invited, he said.

As for the charges against the government by Mr. Gowda, Mr. Yeddyurapa said that under the parliamentary system, there was no provision for Mr. Gowda to attend the Assembly session. Had the rules permitted, he would have invited Mr. Gowda to the House and sought his advice on the project, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa and Mr. Gowda held a meeting on the project at the Chief Minister's residence in January.

The project was the brainchild of the JD(S). There was no substance in the allegations made against the government by the Opposition. The necessary land would be handed over to the developer for early completion of the project, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.

In a letter sent a couple of days ago, Mr. Gowda called upon Mr. Yeddyurappa to file a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court averring that the government would stick to the final order of the Supreme Court on the BMIC. The final order, issued in April 2006, directed the government to allocate 20,193 acres for the expressway, and the five townships to be built alongside, as per the original framework agreement finalised between the government and the promoter in 1997, when J.H. Patel was the Chief Minister.

Source: The Hindu 23/3/10