Madikeri :

Karnataka high court has directed the Kodagu administration to hand over 11 acres of land to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) within two weeks to build a cricket stadium.

The KSCA had filed a writ petition in this regard. The land is supposed to be granted at Hodduru village.

Earlier some of the local villagers demanded more than an acre of land for the graveyard for a backward community  out of 12.70 acres of land granted by the district administration to KSCA for the cricket stadium. However, after several years of protests and fights during previous deputy commissioners’ administration, recently the present Kodagu DC Satheesha BC had settled the dispute by agreeing to give 50 cents of land to be used for the graveyard.

However, this compromise did not work, and a group of villagers continued their agitations and the district administration did not officially transfer the 12.20 acres of land to KSCA.

When these agitations became a hindrance for the scheduled work commencement of the Rs 100-crore stadium project, the KSCA had filed a writ petition in the high court through its representative CS Devaiah through senior counsel KN Phanindra. The petitioner made the respondents as the principal secretary of the state, revenue department, Kodagu DC, AC, Madikeri taluk tahsildar, DD of land records and Kodagu SP.

Following this, high court judge R Devdas passed an order on March 10. The order mentions, “the petitioner KSCA was initially granted 12.70 acres. After due deliberations,  the KSCA agreed to reduce 50 cents of land. Inspite of this the land was not handed over. On going through the said communication, it is clear that the district administration was once again pressurised by the local villagers to further reserve an extent of 50 cents of land for the purpose of burial ground, because the DC had earlier suggested to KSCA to further reduce 50 cents to allot for villagers out of 12.20 cents and the remaining 11.70 acres of land will be handed over to KSCA.”

The judge further ordered, “The DC to proceed and ensure that the possession of 11.70 acres of land in Sy. No. 167/1 A at Hodduru village is handed over to the petitioner  and if needed Kodagu SP has to give protection to ensure that the process of handing over possession is completed within two weeks after receiving order copy by the DC.”

Kodagu DC has received the judgment copy on March 18. DC Satheesha BC said: “As per the high court order, the issue will be settled and within the court directed period. The land records pertaining to the order would be handed over to KSCA”.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mysuru News / by TNN, G Rajendra / March 22nd, 2023