APMC illegally acquiring land of minorities'

Mangalore, February 4: PM Hamad Bava, a resident of Panemangalur at Narikombu village in Bantwal taluk accused Bantwal Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) of illegally acquiring the land belonging to minority community.

Addressing the media persons at Press Club here on Thursday, he said that that APMC has been trying to acquire 4 acres and 72 cents land of Umarabba, Zubeida, Mumthaz, Thahira, Aboobaker, Shahanaz, Muhammad Sunaif, Ahmed Nishaf, Hasanabba, Ahmed Bava, Aisamman, Aazara, Athijamma without prior notification.

He alleged that APMC has cancelled the convertion deed illegally without the knowledge of the owners.

“We have already lost 10 acres of land for highway widening and we had given up the land of Hindu worshipping places which were located in our place,” he said.

He said that the information they sought under RTI act revealed Deputy Commissioner had informed Agriculture Department that there was no government land in Narikombu village based on the report of Village Accountant and Tahashildar. However, he said, when they approached the VA and Tahashildar regarding the matter they said they did not know.

He said that though there is lot of government land in and around Bantwal taluk, officials targeting only them.

APMC has yards even in Mani and Kalladka which are centre points for the farmers. Though villages such as Manchi, Ira, Salethuru, Golthamajalu, Balthila, Vitla Padnur and Mudnur, Manila, Peruvayi, Soorikumeru, Suribailu, Kokkepuni, Kurnadu, Veera Kambha, Kelinja Bolanthuru are close to Mani, the officials are very much eager to acquire their land for lesser price, he said.

“They want to denotify the land in the name of APMC,” he added.

Aboobaker and M Yusuf were present at the press meet.