Bengaluru, March 4 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Wednesday alleged that the Karnataka government was attempting to take over land belonging to the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) at its T. Narasipura unit. He claimed that the move would jeopardise the future of the iconic Mysore Silk brand.
In a statement, Ashoka alleged that the state government was seeking to acquire a five-acre land parcel earmarked for the expansion of the KSIC unit in T. Narasipura for the construction of a taluq stadium, despite objections raised in an internal technical report.
According to Ashoka, the Managing Director of KSIC had submitted a detailed report stating that the five acres were essential for the corporation’s future expansion plans, including installation of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and enhancement of production capacity. He said the report was backed by operational data and infrastructure requirements.
Alleging that the government was ignoring expert advice, Ashoka questioned the rationale behind the proposed land takeover. He asked why a profitable and high-demand public sector enterprise was being weakened and whose interests were being served by the decision.
He also raised concerns about the potential impact on the T. Narasipura unit’s operations. The facility, he said, requires nearly five lakh litres of water per day for silk reeling activities, and officials had warned that proposed construction could disrupt critical pipeline infrastructure, potentially affecting production.
He noted that hundreds of workers and thousands of sericulture farmers depend on the unit for their livelihoods.
Ashoka further pointed out that factory regulations mandate that at least 30 per cent of industrial land be maintained as a green zone. Any reduction in land area, he claimed, could lead to regulatory non-compliance and risk operational shutdown.
Describing Mysore Silk as a GI-tagged heritage brand established during the era of the Mysore Wodeyars and globally recognised for its quality and authenticity, Ashoka said the government should focus on strengthening and modernising the institution rather than undermining it.
He urged the state government to withdraw the proposed move and safeguard the future of KSIC and Mysore Silk. Ashoka has also brought the matter to the notice of the Prime Ministers' Office (PMO), Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.
