The Karnataka Government plans to axe thousands of fruit trees over 210 acres to develop an industrial area near Kittur, 50km away from the city.
Officials from the forest and horticulture departments counted the trees marked for axing to be around 30,000. However, the work of felling has been halted after farmers approached the high court a month ago.
The government announced Kittur an Industrial Area in the budget. The location chosen for the project is attached to the Puna-Bengaluru national highway-4.
Karnataka Industrial Area Development Authority (KIADB) is acquiring a total 648 acres land of which 210 acres is fertile land, used for horticulture. Speaking to the Times of India, Fakirappa Savadatti, a farmer, said he has 21 acres land that the government wants to acquire. He has over 4,000 mango trees on his land and 200 coconut trees. There are also pomegranate and chikku trees. Now, the government want to cut down those trees by fixing Rs 1 million per acre compensation. "It's injustice. Our land is our life", says Fakirappa.
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