Farmers set 15-day deadline to govt

A farmers’ group has set a 15-day ultimatum to the state government to address their problems, which includes getting sugar factories to pay up dues, implementation of crop loan waiver, and effective tackling of the drought situation.

A delegation led by farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar held talks with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. But this was not before the farmers hit the streets in protest, walking the streets of Bengaluru half-naked.

“Repayment of our dues from sugar factories, crop loan waiver, drinking water, cattle fodder... we will wait for 15 days. If the government doesn’t come up with solutions, we will intensify our protests across the state,” Shanthakumar, who also heads the sugarcane growers’ association, told reporters.

Apparently, Kumaraswamy assured farmers that he would convene a meeting of all stakeholders in the next 10-12 days to discuss all their issues.

Sugar factories, Shanthakumar said, owed farmers Rs 3,000 crore. “Even the chief minister agreed that some factories had dues pending for two years, but the government says the pending amount is Rs 1,500 crore. Whatever it may be, it’s the government’s responsibility to get us what is due,” he said.