Belagavi: The long-pending Halaga Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) project faced another setback on Tuesday after farmers halted construction work, alleging that the compensation offered for their acquired land remains inadequate.
Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/farmers-halt-halaga-stp-work-over-compensation/articleshow/131488934.cms
The protest comes despite recent claims that the dispute had been resolved through a ₹50 lakh ex-gratia package for affected landowners. However, farmers said they are dissatisfied with the offer and continue to demand compensation that reflects current market rates.
Farmer leader Prakash Naik stated that land prices in the Halaga area, located near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and National Highway-48, range between ₹10 lakh and ₹12 lakh per gunta, making the offered package unacceptable. He also alleged that officials are pressuring farmers to accept the compensation and sign documents restricting their right to seek legal remedies.
The ₹162-crore Halaga STP project, spread across 19.2 acres, is being developed under the Centre’s AMRUT scheme by the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) and the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB). The facility is designed to treat 70 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage.
The project has remained stalled for over 15 years due to ongoing land acquisition and compensation disputes. According to local farmers, previous compensation proposals were repeatedly rejected as they did not match prevailing land values.
The delay continues to have environmental consequences, with an estimated 30 to 35 MLD of untreated sewage reportedly entering the Markandeya River through the Ballari Nala because the treatment plant remains incomplete.
With fresh protests erupting, the future of the crucial infrastructure project remains uncertain unless a mutually acceptable compensation package is reached.
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