Sunday, January 24, 2010
Bangalore: Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthakumar has opposed the acquisition of 30 acres of land belonging to the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, to build an 80-foot road to connect the National Highway 7 with Yeshwanthpur-Yelahanka link road.

In a press statement here on Saturday, Mr. Shanthakumar, who visited the UAS campus, said the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should immediately review the roadwork and farmers would launch a protest if the work was not stopped immediately. The university was set to lose 30 acres of land for this link road, not to mention hundreds of trees and the critical research plots, he claimed.

In the name of developing the road, some vested interests had been trying to encroach upon the university land meant for developing agricultural research. Already, several trees and plants on the GKVK campus had been destroyed and it was surprising that the university staff were silent, he alleged.

Mr. Shanthakumar urged the university students to launch a protest opposing the construction of the road, which passes through the campus.