Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Chairman H.V. Rajeev held a meeting here yesterday in connection with the proposed Satellite Township near Udbur on Mysuru-Manandawadi Road.

The meeting was attended by farmers, officials and elected representatives of Udbur and surrounding areas.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, he categorically said that the MUDA was committed to protect the interest of farmers and appealed farmers to co-operate with MUDA to form the new township. Around 600 to 800 acre of land was required for the proposed project. Advance payment will be made to farmers, besides 50 per cent of the sites to be developed on the said land. Any doubt in the minds of farmers will be resolved through dialogue, he said. “I knew how farmers were frequenting MUDA to collect compensation for their land. This will not be allowed during my tenure. Land will be acquired only after clearing all the doubts of farmers. After completing negotiation, the Satellite Township will be completed within one and a half years,” Rajeev said.

Rajeev said already one round of talks had been held with the farmers of Udbur, Chowdahalli, Haalaalu and Kalasawadi to remove confusions. In case farmers join hands with the MUDA with an open mind, the project could become a reality. Profit will be shared with farmers too. People invest money on the sites out of their savings. So naturally land within the MUDA limits will get good price. Taking all these factors into consideration, farmers can give their letter of consent to the Authority, he added.

Leaders who spoke at the meeting said that most of the farmers in Udbur, Salundi, Jayapura, Daaripura and others own less than one acre and such person must get clear commitment from the MUDA regarding the compensation and free sites. They should be allowed to till land till the project is started.

MDCC Bank President G.D. Harish Gowda, Udbur ZP Member N. Mahadevaswamy, Ankappa, Revanna, G. Murthy, Pitambara, H. Krishna, Daasanayak, Shivanna, Naganayak, Govinda, N. Marankaiah, Shankar and others were present.