- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34620 WP No. 16261 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS WRIT PETITION NO. 16261 OF 2025 (KLR-RES) BETWEEN: 1. SMT PUTTAMMA W/O LATE TIMMEGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS, 2. SRI. GANGADHAR S/O LATE NINGEGOWDA AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS, 3. SRI. BASAVARAJU S/O LATE BOREGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS, PETITIONERS NO.1 TO 3 ARE R/O. BAIRAPUR VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, ARAKALAGUDU TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 120 4. SMT. CHANDRAKALA Y. S. W/O LATE SHIVAPPAGOWDA, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/O ANKANAYAKANAHALLI KAVALU VILLAGE, KATTAYA HOBLI, HASSAN TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 120. 5. SRI. ANAND C. D. W/O LATE DEVARAJU, AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS, R/O ADAGURU GATE VILLAGE, KASABA HOBLI, CHANNARAYAPATTANA TALUK, Digitally signed by JUANITA THEJESWINI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34620 WP No. 16261 of 2025 HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 116 …PETITIONERS (BY SRI. SHIVANINGAPPA NADUVINAMANI, ADVOCATE AND SRI. YATNAL PARASAPPA GURAAPPA, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE M.S. BUILDING, BANGALORE – 560 001, REP/BY ITS SECRETARY 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 214 3. THE TAHASILDAR SAKALESHAPURA TALUK, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 212 4. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, HASSAN, HASSAN DISTRICT – 573 214 5. THE SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER FOR HEMAVATI RESERVOIR PROJECT, HASANA – 573 214 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. MOHAMMED JAFFAR SHAH, ADVOCATE) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OR ORDER TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENT-THE SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER FOR HEMAVATHI RESERVIOUR PROJECT, HASSAN, TO CONSIDER THE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY PETITIONERS NO.1 TO 5 WHICH ARE ANNEXED TO THE WRIT PETITION AT ANNEXURES-F1, G1, H1, J AND K1, SEEKING ALTERNATIVE LANDS AND ALLOW THE WRIT PETITION AND ETC. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34620 WP No. 16261 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R DEVDAS ORAL ORDER The petitioners No.1 to 5 claim to be the legal representatives of the respective erstwhile land owners, who lost their lands due to submergence of lands under water on the construction of Hemavati/Yagachi/Vatehole Reservoir Project, which are more fully described in the petition. 2. Learned Counsel for the petitioners submits that the Government of Karnataka announced certain beneficiary Schemes and Rehabilitation Packages for the project displaced persons in addition to the payment of compensation. One of the benefits announced for such land-losers was that they will be given alternative agricultural lands elsewhere in the District. 3. The prayer in this writ petition is to issue a writ of mandamus to direct the respondent-Special Land - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34620 WP No. 16261 of 2025 Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to take action on the applications at Annexures- F1, G1, H1, J and K1, given by the petitioners for grant of alternative lands. 4. This Court in several such petitions has found that lands were granted in terms of the Rehabilitation Package and thereafter several orders have been passed cancelling the grants for various reasons. Nevertheless, it is an undisputed fact that such Rehabilitation Package was indeed announced by the State Government for the project displaced persons. 5. In that view of the matter, the writ petition stands disposed of with a specific direction to the respondent- Special Land Acquisition Officer, Hemavathi Reservoir Project, Hassan, to consider the respective applications at Annexures- F1, G1, H1, J and K1, given by the petitioners, verify the records and thereafter, pass necessary orders in accordance with law and in accordance with the Scheme formulated by the State Government. The entire exercise - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:34620 WP No. 16261 of 2025 shall be completed as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Ordered accordingly. Sd/- (R DEVDAS) JUDGE DL