The Koppal district administration has constituted a multi-departmental committee to address complaints from farmers and landowners affected by renewable energy projects across the district. The Deputy Commissioner issued the order following reports that solar, wind and electricity transmission projects have caused problems relating to agricultural land, standing crops, compensation and other issues in several villages.

The committee will be headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner and will have the Executive Engineer of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited as Member Secretary. Its membership also includes the Additional Superintendent of Police, joint directors of the agriculture and horticulture departments, the Executive Engineer of Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited, tahsildars from multiple taluks and senior executives from Power Grid and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited.

It has been directed to examine grievances, facilitate quick resolution of complaints and safeguard the interests of affected landowners. The administration has instructed the body to investigate instances in which companies paid only part of negotiated compensation before commencing work and subsequently failed to complete payments after project completion, and to take appropriate action within the law.

Koppal is emerging as a major renewable energy hub, with projects having a combined capacity of 7,000 megawatts (MW) being taken up by government agencies and private companies across different taluks. The administration noted that renewable projects such as solar parks, wind farms and transmission lines are being implemented over agricultural land and that existing rules do not require conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural land for such developments.

Officials added that companies often enter private agreements with landowners under which compensation is mutually negotiated and that, because these arrangements are private, the government has not prescribed separate guidelines for determining compensation. The committee has been asked to create awareness among farmers and the broader public about the significance of renewable energy while ensuring genuine grievances relating to land, compensation and implementation are addressed in a timely manner.