Demanding an end to systemic extortion, farmers in Kolar pasted a “rate card” detailing alleged bribe rates —ranging from Rs 15,000 for standard boundary demarcations to Rs 3 lakh per acre for land corrections — on the walls of Malur taluk office during a siege Friday.Led by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, scores of farmers demonstrated outside the office of assistant director of land records (ADLR) to expose alleged corruption and administrative harassment.Protesters revealed the specific illegal fees allegedly demanded by officials to process routine land-related documentation: Tatkal podi: Rs 15,000, haddubasthu (boundary demarcation): Rs 15,000, assigning new survey numbers: Rs 1 lakh per acre, correction podi: Rs 3 lakh per acre.Demonstrators alleged that the department routinely delays genuine applications for five to six months unless these illegal payments are rendered.
