The Karnataka government is actively considering the possibility of changing the location for a proposed steel plant of Posco in north-central Gadag district; instead offer the South Korean major an alternative land elsewhere in the state. The move comes after the farmers of Halligudi village stiffly opposed plans to acquire their “fertile” land ahead of starting work on the project.

The Karnataka High Court today said that it cannot direct the state government to reconsider its decision to shelve Posco’s proposed multi-crore steel plant in Gadag district while dismissing a PIL by a group of farmers who wanted the project to be implemented. The court was hearing a PIL filed by 117 farmers seeking its intervention to direct the state government to go ahead with setting up of the Posco plant as they were prepared to give away their land.

It was pushed through at the Cabinet meeting

A day after the Finance department took exception to the incomplete Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Upper Krishna Project-III, it has come to light that the Water Resources department has paid a whopping Rs 1.7 crore to a Bangalore-based firm to prepare the report.

The Finance department had, on Tuesday, informed the State Cabinet that the DPR neither had details of the Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) nor specifications about funding pattern of the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 17,207 crore.

The National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources today said it would move the Supreme Court after receiving a detailed report on illegal mining at Kappat Gudda hill ranges in Gadag district and asked Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda order a Lokayukta probe into it.

Speaking to reporters here, NCPNR convenor S R Hiremath said he would move the Supreme Court after getting a substantive report on illegal mining in the hill ranges.

The Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) project at Halligudi in Gadag district, which made its exit following a mass agitation, has now returned with the State government claiming that it has already issued a preliminary notification to acquire 3,200 acres of land. Speaking at an interaction meet organised by Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI), Minister for Medium and Large-scale Industries, Murugesh Nirani said that the project is on as nearly 90 percent of the farmers have voluntarily come forward to give their land for the project.

The State government will take up the Upper Krishna Phase-3 project, which envisages irrigating about 5.3 lakh hectares, in the current financial year, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with the leaders of Opposition, Siddaramaiah and Motamma, the chief minister said soon after obtaining the Cabinet approval for the detailed project report prepared by the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama Limited, the government will initiate the process of implementing the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 17,207 crore.

Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa announced that the State government had agreed to provide land for the construction of three new lines, for which the survey has been completed.

Speaking to mediapersons after flagging of the augmented services of Bangalore-Hubli Janshatabdi Express at the Yeshwantpur railway station here on Tuesday, he said, “A few important decisions have been taken in the meeting held on October 20, by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and other senior officials of State Government and the Railways.”

The Karnataka government is still looking at acquiring land in Halligudi village of Gadag district for South Korean steel maker Posco’s proposed Rs 32,300-crore plant. Last month it had said it would not acquire land forcibly to set up the plant.

Bangalore The fate of South Korean steelmaker Posco's proposed plant in Karnataka remains uncertain with two groups of farmers holding different views on the project.
The government has already assured protesting farmers that the project would not come up in Gadag district.

Cost of development: Many suffer from serious health hazards
centre of controversy: The area where uranium mining was conducted at Gogi in Shahpur village of Yadgir district.