Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Aug 21: Various industries that are occupying Bantwal with the Netravati river bank as the center have been cause for fear among locals here.

After Shamboor, Thumbay and SEZ projects, it is the turn of Hritvik Hydel Project of AMR Company.  The company is busy in the process of silently increasing the height of the dam at Sarapady by 1.5 meters.  As there are instances of residents losing their land for the dam, the increase in its height has made them worried. 

The increased height of the dam has made the river water occupy their agricultural land nearby, causing loss and hardships. When the farmers threatened of protests, engineers of the company arrived at Sarapady and conducted survey work without informing them. They then called a meeting of the farmers to pacify them.  

The company has increased the height of the dam from the present 18.4 meters to 19.5 meters.  In the meeting that was called to justify their action, the farmers protested and bombarded with allegations that the company is making false promises and has come to destroy farmers.   In the past too, they have been ruling over them in stages without justifiable explanation. 
 
The company had reportedly tried to silence the farmers by buying farmers' land when the company stepped into and continued the project thereby targeting the residents of the area for their purpose.  Now it has forgotten its promise of improvement and continued it in the path they liked, as a result of which the height of the dam is increased. It is feared that the heightened dam will make the land in the vicinity submerge under water causing destruction and leaving the farmers with no option other than vacating them.
 
Though a committee formed by the farmers to protest against AMR had united the villagers and planned protests against it, the way it kept quiet has made the people frustrated.  The company has paid no compensation since.  It is alleged that the panchayat officials have remained indifferent.  The villagers allege that the panchayat has joined hands with the company and has remained silent spectator without coming to the rescue of the suffering villagers.
 

False promises of development

What happened to the promise of development? The villagers say that the company had promised of roads in gram panchayat limits, drinking water project and electricity in the area but has forgotten it promises turning its back towards them and illegally and silently increased the height of the dam.  The submerged portion of the land is a witness to it, they claim.
 
"The mini hydel project is now converted as micro power project. This is nothing cheating on the part of the company. The government officials and departments are in deep slumber.  Several turbines in the area are generating electricity for the project.  They are used for supplying water for other mega projects whenever available," say the locals.
 
On the whole the farmers are in distress for one reason or the other; the government should work on the programmes that solve their problems.