Karnataka Regional Farmers’ Association leader B Umesh said that the arrest of farmers to start the work on waste disposal unit in Ajjagondanahalli taking the help of the police was a insult on the farming community.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that the district administration had used the police almost mocking at democratic norms itself.
Several associations are joining hands in support of the farmers to protest against the high handed attitude of the district administration in front of the DC office on Monday.
If the district administration fails to respond, then they would lay siege to the office and also intensify the agitation, he warned. The local farmers were protesting in a democratic manner. There was no need to arrest them at all. This is an insult to the whole farming community itself.
No Compensation
The district administration is claiming that records had been created in the name of farmers and compensation given. However, the eligible farmers have not received any compensation, he charged.
What was the reason to give up the place identified earlier for the waste disposal unit? Now why is it that the district administration is targeting the land of the farmers who are totally dependent on it, he asked. Umesh demanded to know why the land belonging to the government was not identified for the purpose.
We will continue the struggle till the farmers demand are met, he said.
Scientist’s views
Environmental scientist Dr D J Mohan has regretted that the work on waste disposal unit in Ajjagondanahalli has begun in spite of stiff opposition from the farmers and pro-farmers associations.
In a release, he has said that even though a report had been given after making a study of the place, the district administration had turned a blind eye, which was like offending the entire scientific community.
Why is the district administration not replying to the question whether an ‘environmental impact’ study had been done, he asked.
If the study had been done then let them release to the media the study undertaken. The land acquisition process had been done long back and the work had not begun all these days to some problem, is the claim of the district administration. He has demanded to know what the reasons are for this.
It is wrong on the part of the administration to cover up their faults and threatening the farmers with lathi, which is against the law, he said.
He has also expressed fears that the farmers would be put to great hardship and it would also bring a halt to agriculture activities. It is also reprehensible that the district administration has come forward to celebrate ‘district festival,’ said Mohan in the release.