When Honnappa's father was a little boy (he died 15 years ago at the age of 70), the trees were already full-grown and yielding. The trees, till today, are known as Basappa's trees. Basappa was Honappa's great-grandfather. The trees are estimated to be over 170-years-old.

The Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, of which the Bangalore-Mysore Highway is a part, will spell doom for the late Basappa's trees.

Honnappa's land falls directly in the line of the Expressway. The Karnataka State Infrastructure Investment Development Corporation (KSIIDC) has already issued acquisition notices for 65 acres of land -- for a clover leaf intersection which will descend to form a truck terminal. Honnappa and other affected farmers have written to the acquisition authorities that they will not part with their lands.

Mango, ragi, coconut,cashew and even coffee are grown on the land now earmarked for the BMIC. The land in question is green, and completely in contrast to the surrounding barren landscape.

Nine of the oldest mango trees are in the midst of other mango trees some of which are around 50-60 years old. Each of these heritage trees yield at least 15,000 `Raspuri' mangoes every year.

Former Environment and Forests Secretary A N Yellappa Reddy, who accompanied media persons to Sompura, said a survey carried out four years ago did not include the fertile lands of Sompura in the project's alignment.

``These fertile lands are flat. They (BMIC) do not want to spend on bulldozing the adjoining barren lands. That's why they changed their plans and decided to take-over these lands'', Reddy said.

Interestingly, the barren lands around Sompura have been left out of the project's scheme of things.

The Institute for Natural Resources Conservation, Education, Research and Training -- which has taken up the cause of farmers like Honnappa-- suggested that the surrounding barren land could be used for the project instead of the fertile lands.

Honappa and other farmers plan to move court to save their lands.