Farmers, under the banner of Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, staged a protest in Hassan on Tuesday seeking initiation of works related to the elephant corridor and also demanding suitable compensation as they have suffered losses due to jumbo menace.
Farmers took out a protest march from Hemavathy statue to N R Circle and walked to the deputy commissioner’s office. Placing ‘rotti and chutney’ on their heads, they walked to the DC’s office and raised slogans against the centre and state for failing to address the farmers’ issues. They later submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner V Chaitra.
The protesters claimed that commercial crops of Malnad region, including coffee, pepper, banana and paddy are being destroyed by elephants which stray into the villages on the fringes of the forests in search of food and water. Yasalur, Hosuru, Changadihalli, Huchchangi, Igooru, Hethuru are a few villages in Sakleshpur taluk which have been worst affected, they said.
The farmers demanded a permanent solution for the elephant menace, compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the deceased and suitable compensation for crop loss.
They also sought good quality seed potatoes at subsidised prices and total waiver of farm loans.
Compensation sought
The farmers complained that despite submitting necessary documents for crop loss, the authorities and elected representatives had not taken any measures in disbursing compensation. Even after the Supreme Court’s directive of total waiver of farm loans, centre and the state governments have been neglecting farmers, they said.
They said that the fodder being distributed was of substandard quality. While the fodder banks at many places have been closed due to lack of maintenance, the banks at Channarayapatna, Arkalgud taluks have been collecting money for free fodder, they complained.
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