Kaup: “The plan to establish ISPRL strategic underground crude oil reserve facility at Paduru involves laying of pipeline from Thokur in Mangaluru to Paduru, which will run through farm lands of 24 different villages and the bold decision to provide the affected farmers with appropriate compensation has set a model to the country,” said Kaup legislative assembly congress candidate Vinay Kumar Sorake at a press conference.

He was speaking on the occasion of panchayath level party promotion and home to home visit at Muburu Uliyargoli in Kaup.

“By bringing together the people of the 24 villages of the undivided district without any political agenda, the people were sensitized about the injustice done unto the farmers by the pipeline plan. The central government’s pipeline law of 1962, states that the farmers will be compensated at 10% the price of the government price of their lost farming land.

But a massive fight was initiated against this decision. Most of the farmers here own small pieces of land, and this division of land makes it essentially useless. A proposal was sent demanding appropriate compensation for the lost land. When I was the district in-charge minister, I fought about this issue and provided justice,” he said.

“Since this was being established for the national security benefit, the committee fighting on behalf of the farmers insisted on a few simple demands that would benefit the farmers. Since this was undertaken by the central government, the fight was intensified and compensation from the state government was provided based on market value and this act sets a model for the country,” he said.

The price for the farm land through which the pipeline is laid should be the highest sale price up till December 31st, 2014.

After the pipeline has been laid, written permission must be given for land conversion on both the sides. The laying of the pipeline should be within the pre-defined border limits and if in the process of work the crop gets destroyed, or of the irrigation channels are blocked, they must be rectified and the loss incurred due to crop loss must be compensated.

Vinay Kumar Sorake mediated with the officials and discussed the possibility of seeing it to that the pipeline does not got through the middle of the farm lands with area of 10-15 cents and thus making it convenient for the farmers of such farm lands.