Potato seeds: Farmers lock DC's office

Farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar criticised the district administration for failing to take necessary measures in storing seeds before the monsoon.

Addressing the protesters, who had gathered in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Hassan under the banner of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru sene, he said it is the district administration’s responsibility to stock sufficient seeds well ahead of monsoon so that it can be distributed to the farmers on time. But it has failed to do so.

 The district has already experienced showers twice and the deputy commissioner has to take steps to distribute seeds at nominal price, Chandrashekar said.

The farmers had tilled their land and were ready to sow potato seeds since the past 20 days as it is the right time for sowing activities. Unavailability of the seeds has caused losses to the farmers. He also complained of discrimination of the traders towards the farmers and sought action against them. Chandrashekar also demanded that the seeds at the cold storage be distributed at a lesser price and if the traders incur any losses, the government should bear it.

Loss of fertilisers, no suitable price for turmeric, ginger has made the lives of the growers miserable. He also urged the government pay pending dues to sugarcane growers and if it fails to respond to the farmers demands it would be inevitable to intensify the protests, he warned. They began a protest rally from N R Circle and formed human chains in between and culminated at the deputy commissioner’s office. Farmers irked

The absence of the officials to interact or to receive the memorandum from the farmers, who had gathered in the premises irked the farmers who locked the office of the deputy commissioner. They even had a wordy duel with the staff and policemen who prevented them. Finally, tahsildar Manjunath arrived at the spot and received the memorandum.