Karnataka asked to explain stand on Nice project

New Delhi, (IANS) Why is the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project stalled? The Supreme Court Monday sought answers from the Karnataka government.

The apex court urged the Karnataka government to reply to contentions by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd (NICE) that the Rs.75 billion (Rs.750 crore) project was making little progress despite Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa forming a high-level panel to ensure its progress.

Yeddyurappa's move followed the court's Nov 3 directions to remove hurdles stalling the project.

Justice Tarun Chatterjee, Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice Deepak Verma asked the state to respond within two months NICE's contention after discussing various issues related to acquisition of land and various legal and social hiccups.

NICE deposed that several decisions taken Nov 19 by a 17-member panel of officers working under Yeddyurappa were yet to be implemented.

NICE also stated in its affidavit that protests by the Janata Dal-Secular headed by former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda had seriously affected the project.

The company sough the court's direction to ensure that the JD-S protests did not stall work.

The bench on Nov 3 asked the state government to form a high-level panel, while hearing an old plea by NICE, to launch a contempt of court proceeding against the then JD-S government for allegedly stalling and derailing the project despite an apex court order upholding its legality and giving it the green signal.

The bench also wanted the government to approach it with "appropriate application", possibly with a transfer petition, to remove the hurdles in the expeditious implementation of the project.

The hurdles include lawsuits objecting to the project on various counts before the high court.

The the apex court had earlier in 2006 endorsed the legality of the project involving building an expressway between Bangalore and Mysore with the provision to develop five townships along it.

The bench gave these directions while hearing a petition by NICE seeking launch of the contempt to court proceedings against seven state government officials for allegedly derailing the project.

The project was originally conceived in 1997.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Deve Gowda Monday attended the court hearing. He told reporters that NICE wanted to "build a mahal (palace) by burying (land from) farmers".