Provide irrigation facility or quit, Moily told

Kannada Nadu Rajya Raitha Sangha president R Muniramegowda has demanded Union Minister for Corporate Affairs Veerappa Moily to tender resignation if he cannot ensure permanent irrigation facility to the two districts.

At a press meet here, on Thursday, he said “Moily has been only promising, but nothing has been done to the farmers. If he cannot meet his words, he must resign from his post.”

Lakhs spent for water

Farmers have sunk borewells spending at least Rs three lakh for farming purposes. With depletion of water table, these borewells may soon dry up, leaving farmers in lurch. The government must initiate measures to aid farmers, he said. 

Kannada Nadu Rajya Raitha Sangha was inaugurated in the city recently.

The office-bearers of the association are R Muniramegowda (president), P C Munikrishnappa (vice-president), K P Narayanawami (secretary), T Bhairappa, A Bhairegowda, G S Narasimh Reddy and K Manjunath (co-ordinators).

Drought-affected

In a second incident, farmers in the district demanded that the region be declared drought-affected.

Farmers in Kolar and Chikkaballapur  districts are reeling under severe drought as the two districts have not received rain. Considering this, the government must declare the two districts as drought-affected, urged farmers’ leader Yaluvahalli N Ramesh.

He submitted a memorandum in this regard to Deputy Commissioner N Manjula. 

Farmers who have grown rain-fed crops like ragi, jowar, tur and groundnut are in distress. They have received neither rain nor any support from the government. They feel they being cheated, he added. In this regard, the government must declare the districts as drought-affected on priority.

He wanted the government to open gruel centre and goshalas in the districts.

Farmers N Ramesh, Puradagadde Krishnappa, Manchanable Shridhar and others were present.