JOIN USBJP demands special package for coffee growers
Kodagu BJP district unit President Mandepanda Suja Kushalappa has said that a delegation comprising MLAs and MPs of Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan districts will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly to urge the Central government to announce special package for coffee growers. The growers are in distress following heavy rainfall.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, he said that the problems faced by the growers have been brought to the notice of MP Prathap Simha.
BJP leader Napanda Ravi Kalappa said that the delegation will urge the government to announce Rs 967 crore package for the coffee growers as recommended by the Coffee Board.
Other demands are issuing BPL cards to small growers and exempting the small growers from eviction drive. Coffee growers should be given priority while appointing president and members to the Coffee Board. Idukki package for black pepper growers in Kerala should be extended to Karnataka as well. The Coffee Board should conduct a survey on the loss of coffee following heavy rain.
Plans to call for bandh
BJP district spokesperson Addanda Cariappa said that the Centre will be impressed upon the problems faced by the traditional dwellers if the Kasturirangan report on conservation of Western Ghats is implemented as it is.
The report should be discussed with the people residing on the periphery of the Western Ghats before implementing it.
The previous UPA government had given exemption to Kerala in the report. The state government and the district administration has failed to find solution to the row over encroachment, delay in issue of exemption letter for possessing firearms, shortage of sand and gravels and delay in availing services at the taluk offices. If the authorities fail to initiate measures to solve problems within 20 days, then the BJP will call for Kodagu district bandh.
Eviction drive
In a separate meeting in Somwarpet, Coffee Growers Association Somwarpet taluk President Mohan Bopanna and Karnataka Coffee Growers Federation State Pesident B S Jairam said that there was a need to call for bandh in Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan to pressurise the State government to solve row over encroachment.
Bopanna said that trees have been grown on the encroached land. The growers have protected the environment. About 60,000 million trees have been grown by the coffee growers and 56,000 water bodies have been dug and thereby helped in increasing the ground water table.
Balasubramanian report
“In 1970, the government had given three acre of government land to grow coffee. Now, with its eviction drive, the growers will come on street. The government should protect the interest of the growers. The Balasubramanian report on encroachment should be withdrawn,” he added.
Bopanna said that the Balasubramanian report is unscientific. Jairam said that the government should regularise the encroachment if the encroached land is below 10 acre by collecting registration fee. If the government continues the eviction drive, then the growers will have to protest against it.
A meeting of the growers have been convened at Sakleshpura on September 2, to discuss on the future course of action.