Bangalore: Green activists and local villagers have taken exception to the proposals from defence and research institutions to build sensitive projects on 10,000 acres of Amrit Mahal Kaval land allotted to them in Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district. Among the sensitive projects are a Defence Research Development Organization proposal to start an aeronautical test range involving flying and testing of drones and a plan by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) to set up an uranium enrichment centre in their midst. “The Barc plan envisages conducting experiments with uranium, which will not only ruin fertility of the land but put the lives of so many villagers at risk. Fear already pervades the grasslands,” Leo Saldanha, co-ordinator, Environment Support Group, told a press conference on Thursday. DRDO had claimed that part of the land being utilized was degraded. However, a field visit by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) revealed that no part of the land being used by the DRDO or Barc was fallow. “Even after improper rain for two years, the land is extremely fertile. The NGT has accepted the fact that organizations have tainted many details so as to continue work there,” said Saldanha. “If uranium is used for any experiment, then for many years the land cannot be used for any purpose and water from here won’t be potable,” he added. A public hearing and spot inspection at the Amrit Mahal Kavals last week witnessed over 1,000 people making clear their opposition to the land diversion. It was conducted by a fact-finding committee of the NGT. “People from all villages around the kaval attended the hearing. They pointed out that the land was never fallow and was used by everyone in their own way,” said Vinay Sreenivasa, member, National Alliance of People’s Movement. DRDO’s project, activists pointed out, involved using drones and an aeronautical testing range. Indiscriminate drilling of deep borewells and dropping of bombs could pose a threat to endangered species like the blackbucks along with peacocks and hares. “The water table has been adversely affected. Besides, villagers are beaten up by guards if they take their cattle anywhere near the land allotted to these institutions,” Sreenivasa maintained.