Belagavi: After several allegation made by the Belgaum Shetakari Sanghatana (BSS), that the Belagavi Urban Development Authority (BUDA) have been illegally acquiring fertile land the BUDA has come out and clarified the issue.
The Belagavi Urban Development Authority (BUDA) in a statement said that it has not received any proposal to acquire additional land for housing. The revised master plan-2 of BUDA for the next 10 years was approved in February 2014. In the revised plan, BUDA has extended its area, taking into consideration the city’s development and population till 2021.
According to the revised plan, the total coverage area of BUDA has been extended to 182 sq km, of which 82.12 sq km is set for conurbations.
BUDA has prepared its masterplan-2 with approval from the government after a long wait of 30 years. However, the Belgaum Shetkari Sanghatana (BSS) has opposed the revised plan.
Narayan Sawant, district president of BSS, explained that masterplan-2 includes several villages surrounding the city. The agricultural areas in these villages are shown in the white belt, which means they are unused land. Buda never specified these areas in the plan. This may result in land grabbing and put farmers in distress, he said.
P N Ravindra, BUDA commissioner, said the white-coloured areas in the revised plan do not necessarily mean that it comprises areas in the white belt. “Agricultural land will not be used for other purposes. Farmers need not worry. Besides, as per the land acquisition law, no land can be acquired without the consent of the farmers,” he said.
The villages included in the revised plan are Halaga, Basavan Kudachi, Alarwad, Dhamane (S), Macche, Peeranwadi, Khadarwadi, Hunchenatti, Hindalaga, Kangrali (BK), Kangrali (KH), Goundwad, Kakati, Kanbargi and Yamanapur.
