An 11-member committee has been formed to oversee the Land acquisition and construction of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sports Complex in Yellur, Belagavi. Led by Belagavi Tehsildar, the committee will be responsible for acquiring the necessary land and developing the sports complex. However, there is opposition to this project.
The members of the Yellur Gram Panchayat (GP) earlier had passed a resolution opposing the construction, arguing that the land is currently being used for cattle grazing. This disagreement has sparked a heated debate between the GP and the district administration, with both sides firmly holding their positions.
The Yellur GP claims that many farmers rely on this land, which also houses a government school, a temple, a garbage depot, and a few houses. The notice issued by the district administration has ordered the GP to vacate all these structures. The land designated for cattle grazing spans 66 acres and 17 guntas, and the district administration requests the surrender of 44 acres. The GP members argue that the remaining 22 acres and 17 guntas will not be sufficient for the villagers to graze their cattle if the takeover occurs.
In 2020, MLA Abhay Patil visited the location and expressed his belief that the stadium would be a unique facility in South India, attracting sports enthusiasts from across the district. He emphasized that Belagavi has a wealth of talent, and such facilities would contribute to the development and training of exceptional athletes, potentially leading to Olympic success. The government has already approved the construction of the sports complex, according to the MLA.
The official decision to proceed with the construction was made in 2022-23. On October 10, 2022, the proposal was submitted to the government. Survey No. 1142 in Yellur encompasses 66 acres and 17 gunthas of grazing land, of which 40 acres are proposed to be acquired for the sports complex.
The second proposal was sent on January 20, 2023. According to this proposal, the Department of Youth and Sports has been actively pursuing the acquisition of free land for various sports activities since 2022.
Now, it is the responsibility of the Tehsildar to prepare a comprehensive proposal outlining the land acquisition process and construction plans, which will then be submitted to the government.
Government must rather pay attention to the convenience of the agriculturists from the affecting area by providing basic necessities such as asphalting of roads inter-connecting agricultural fields. Farmers face enormous difficulties for want of good roads in the performance of agricultural activities.