Farmers seek compensation for loss of land to power transmission lines

Farmers representatives from the State Sugarcane Growers Association interacting with Energy Minister K.J. George in Mysuru on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Representatives of the State Sugarcane Growers’ Association met Energy Minister K J George on Wednesday seeking a fair compensation for the loss of cultivable land due to Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) drawing power transmission cables and installation of towers.

In a memorandum submitted to the Minister, association’s oganisational secretary Attahalli Devaraj said high voltage 66/11 KV and 220 KV power transmission lines of KPTCL passed over agricultural lands, resulting in loss of cultivable area for many farmers.

The transmission lines from KPTCL Mini Station in Gejjeyanavaddaragudi in Hunsur sub division passed through several villages, including Dharmapura, Karimuddanahalli, Aspatre Kaval, Basti Maranahalli, Hallada Koppalu, Udduru Kaval, Tarikal and other areas in Hunsur. These power transmission lines and towers built on the land have not been accompanied by any clear steps regarding compensation to the affected farmers, the association said.

“In response to an RTI application, the officials have claimed that land rates were fixed during a meeting held with farmers in March 2024. But, when asked which specific farmers or land owners attended the meeting, the officials said no farmers had agreed to be present at the meeting. This clearly indicates that the farmers were not part of the decision-making exercise and fair land rate had not been determined”, Mr. Devaraj alleged, while contending that the authorities had held meetings on the issue without bringing it to the notice of the land-owning farmers or seeking their consent.

The association sought to bring to the Minister’s notice that the market rate of the land in the region was ₹2 lakh per gunta. Hence, a fair rate should be determined for the land and an appropriate compensation amount should be fixed. The farmers’ body also contended that the transmission lines had already been electrified without the farmers’ consent.

The association pointed out that farmers in villages such as Koodanahalli, Devalapura, Marasettihalli, Joranahalli, Varuna and Vajamangala too had not been adequately compensated while drawing the 220 KV line from Kadakola to Vajamangala in Mysuru taluk. “Their lands lie near layouts where land prices range between ₹6 lakh and ₹10 lakh per gunta, while the department quotes only ₹50,000 to ₹60,000”, Mr. Devaraj said in the memorandum.

Irrigation pumpsets

The association urged the government to discontinue the policy of Aadhaar-linked registration and meter installation for irrigation pumpsets. The irrigation pumpsets of farmers should be regularised upon payment of ₹5,000, the association said.

For lands that had been affected by power transmission lines, the government should provide free electricity connections for irrigation pumpsets, it added.

Published - June 04, 2025 09:07 pm IST