Karwar: Chandru Naik of Araga village in Karwar, has sleepless nights. He is unable to concentrate on anything. The only thought haunting him day and night is the fear of his land being acquired by officials and his family being evacuated to an unknown place.
Chandru recollects the forceful eviction of his family and many others in Araga and nearby villages about 25 years ago for project Sea Bird. Villagers including about 100 families who had already lost land for Sea Bird, are likely to be evacuated for fourlaning of National Highway 66.
Naik’s ancestral land was acquired for Project Sea Bird. The family which then owned 5 acre land lost about 3 acres. “We owned agricultural land and grew paddy and various types of vegetables and fruits. But today my son who has passed BCom in the first class, works as a coolie at Sea Bird. Officials are not even ready to give a clerical or attender’s job to him,” Naik says.
The impending widening of National Highway 66 is a problem about 100 families in Karwar which have already lost land to Project Sea Bird, are now are facing.
“We are yet to get complete compensation even after 25 years for the land we lost to Sea Bird. Now the government plans to evacuate us again for road widening. Instead of frequently evacuating us, it is better if officials give us some poison,” an agitated Naik told DC.
“The rehabilitation colony has hardly any facility. We continue to live in the small patch of land left after acquisition for Sea Bird. If the government evacuates us from the present land, we have no option and may have to shift to the rehabilitation colony,” Naik who received a notice said.
Similar is the case with Savithri Bai Tandel, a resident of Chendiya. Savithri and her family had lost their land to Sea Bird and are now settled at Chendiya. But this land too is all set to be acquired for the highway.
“We are living in a rented house at Chendiya and run a small petty shop. But our house as well as shop will be demolished if the highway is widened. We will have to search for a new livelihood again,” Savithri, who is in her 60s said. We request the authorities to construct a bypass and solve these problems,” she said.
