Demand to fix price on land to be acquired for MRPL

Land owners whose property has been marked for acquisition for the Phase IV expansion project of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited have urged the Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner to fix rates for land which had been notified at the earliest.

Ina statement here, the land owners under the banner of 'Samyuktha Nagarika Hitharakshana Samiti' said the DC had not yet initiated the price fixation procedures as per rules even 20 months after the preliminary gazette notification was issued for acquiring their lands.

Samiti president Ronald Fernandes Permude and General Secretary Deepak Permude said 836.9369 acres of private owners had been covered under final Section 28(4) notification of the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development (KIAD) Act, 1966.

The land extended to Kuthethur, Permude and Tenkayekkaru villages located in Bajpe and Suratkal regions, they said.

More than 70 per cent of land owners had given their written consent for land acquisition, considering the national interest, they said.

The Samiti had earlier submitted memorandums to the Chief Minister, minister for industry and commerce, MP, district in charge minister and MLAs, all of whom had assured proper compensation for land structures and agricultural crops, besides rehabilitation facilities, they said.

MRPL had obtained project clearance for refinery expansion and for producing other value added products and Euro VI Quality petroleum products.

This is a massive investment project of MRPL, a subsidiary of ONGC, with an investment of Rs 20,000 crore, adjacent to the existing refinery at Kuthethur.

The investment was also the highest proposal in the history of the state for a single project. It is expected to generate massive employment and boost the district's economy.

The delay in land acquisition would put to hardship, land owners who had agreed to give the land to KIADB for MRPL and also cause delay in implementation of the project, resulting in a jump in costs, the statement said.