Silk farmers step up pressure on Govt

Both Centre and State responsible for the plight of farmers, they say

“The protest will be held simultaneously in the two places and silk farmers from both the districts will take part in the protest.

The protest will not be withdrawn till the demands are fulfilled and Government implements its promises,” said Zilla Panchayat member Sonnehalli Narayanaswamy.

Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, he said in spite of protests at taluk, district and State-level, the Centre had turned a blind eye to the woes of the silk farmers.
The strike has been inevitable as MPs and elected representatives who had promised to fulfil the dreams have forgotten their words.

No clear stand
The Centre is not taking a clear stand on the demands and the State government on the contrary has unscientifically fixed distress relief fund, he added.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha district unit Co-ordinator B H Narasimhappa said that at any cost strike would not be withdrawn till the Government accepts the demands.
Sangha’s Shidlaghatta taluk unit president Bhaktarahalli Byregowda said that the strike would be peaceful and no harm would be done to public or government machinery and cocoon transaction would not be hampered.

Many organisations including District Reshamekrishikara Hitarakshana Vedike will participate in the strike, he added. Leaders Malluru Harish and Yaluvahalli Sonnegowda were present on the occasion.

Kolar
The State government should immediately call a meeting of silk farmers and reelers and should take steps to solve their problems.

A State-wide protest will be staged in front of cocoon markets across the State on November 15, said All India Action Committee Against Duty Free Import of Silk Organising Secretary G C Bayya Reddy.

Speaking at a press conference organised at the cocoon market in the city on Saturday, Reddy said the Distress Relief Fund of Rs 30 fixed for the cocoons falling below the price of Rs 160 per kg was unscientific.

A kg of cocoon costed Rs 310 in the months of January-February in 2010. However, the prices have fallen to Rs 160 per kg now, leading to a direct loss of Rs 150 per kg.
As a result many farmers are committing suicide. The Centre and State governments are responsible for the fall in price and farmers suicide, he added.

It is sad to see that governments have not responded to democratic protests, Reddy said and added that the MPs from Chikkaballapur, Kolar and Mandya were responsible for the plight of silk farmers. Almost 50 per cent of the silk produced in the State comes from the Kolar-Chikkaballapur districts.

As a result the farmers here have been badly affected, he added. Leaders Veerappa Moily and K H Muniyappa have betrayed people. The leaders who had earlier attributed the low cost to low production had now stated that the quality of the cocoons were not good, Reddy said and added that it was up to the government to improve the quality of the cocoons.

He demanded scrapping of August, 2010 order which paved way for import of cheap silk from China.