Lawmakers and local leaders in Shivamogga have renewed calls for the Karnataka government to prioritise land titles for families displaced by the Sharavathi reservoir nearly six decades ago. The appeal, made by BJP legislator Araga Jnanendra at a press conference, highlights longstanding grievances of those uprooted by the Linganamakki hydroelectric project.
Sharavathi submergence victims demand land titles
Jnanendra told reporters that residents who lost homes and farmland when the Sharavathi basin was submerged were not voluntary migrants. “These families were relocated in the public interest to support the state’s power infrastructure,” he said, adding that many were brought to remote forested areas and left without adequate rehabilitation.
According to the legislator, the state undertook resettlement between the 1960s and 1970s, but formal land titles have not been issued in most cases. “Although resettlement was provided, the absence of legal titles has left many without secure land rights. They continue to live in makeshift homes on marginal land or in forest clearings,” he said.
The complaint centres on households displaced by the Linganamakki project, who were relocated to new settlements yet remain excluded from comprehensive land registration. Jnanendra and other local leaders say this administrative gap has denied veterans of the relocation their share of permanent rehabilitation and legal ownership.
At the press briefing, Jnanendra warned that the government should not allocate flats to recent settlers near Kogilu until the claims of Sharavathi submergence victims are resolved. He said such moves would inflame tensions and could lead to protests from those who have waited decades for their rights to be recognised.
Local officials present at the meeting included the Hangegere gram panchayat president Raghavendra, taluk BJP unit head Neduru Naveen and community leaders Huvappa Koodi, Ashok Kiravase, Sudhakar, B.M. Krishnamurthy and Ramanna. They voiced support for immediate action to regularise settlements and expedite title issuance.
Humanitarian and development experts argue that issuing land titles is a critical step towards securing livelihoods, enabling access to credit, and improving infrastructure in resettled villages. Without clear ownership, residents face legal uncertainty when investing in housing, agriculture or small businesses.
Jnanendra urged the state government to conduct a rapid survey of resettled families, verify claims and begin issuing land titles as a priority administrative task. He also called for support measures, including access to basic services and formal recognition of long-standing settlements.
The Sharavathi submergence victims’ issue underscores persistent challenges in India’s infrastructure-driven resettlement programmes, where the social costs of development can remain unresolved for generations. Local leaders say prompt official action would not only rectify historic injustice but also restore faith in public institutions.
Officials in the Karnataka government have not yet issued a formal response to the demand. The matter is likely to be raised with the relevant departments as pressure mounts from elected representatives and community stakeholders seeking a durable solution.
Key Takeaways:
- Local legislator Araga Jnanendra urges the Karnataka government to prioritise land titles for Sharavathi submergence victims.
- Sharavathi submergence victims, displaced during the Linganamakki hydroelectric project, remain without formal land rights despite resettlement since the 1960s.
- The demand highlights alleged administrative neglect and calls for immediate government action to issue land titles and permanent rehabilitation.
- Warning issued that flats allocated to recent squatters near Kogilu should not be distributed before addressing the Sharavathi submergence victims’ claims.
