'ITC shirking from its responsibility'

Families who lost lands yet to be compensated with job per family

State general secretary of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Badagalapura Nagendra alleged that the ITC group property that is coming up at Tandavapura Indsutrial Area (TANDIA),  Nanjangud is denying jobs to farmers whose lands were acquired for the very project.

Addressing a press meet here on Thursday, he further alleged that the company is not sticking to its assurance of providing jobs to farmers, on whose land the company stands now, or their family members.

Many families, which lost their livelihood with the piece of land they lost for this project, are awaiting since five years to get a permanent job.

He said the company is now backing out, citing company rules, preparing grounds to keep farmers away from recruitments for the company.

Nagendra disclosed that the company was now putting forward few requirements which obviously many illiterate farmers do not posses.

Furthermore, it also says in its agreement employees could be terminated from their service as per wish of the company.

He accused the company of humiliating farmers with their new bylaws. He urged the company to provide one employment opportunity to farmer and his family for each acre of land acquired by them.

He said memorandum submitted by the ryots to the deputy commissioner, ITC and other related officials have fallen on deaf ears.

“Farmers are staging a protest at Nanjangud from June 11, which the authorities claim that they know nothing of.” Nagendra said that the Chief Minister has called the farmers for a meeting on July 22 at his official residence Krishna. “We have told the CM not to convene the meeting for the sake of formality, just to offer us coffee and snacks; but to discuss various issues and problems faced by farmers and measures to be taken by government.”

Protest

He said a protest would be staged on June 23 when union minister Mallikarjuna Kharge is to visit Nanjangud for inauguration of ESI hospital.

He blamed local MLAs of being irresponsible over issues pertaining to the farmers.

He said that protests in front of offices and branches of ITC company would be staged if their issues were not solved and also intensify the protests against State and Central governments for not heeding to their problems.

Puttaswamy, Ashwath Narayana Urs, Nanjundaswamy and others were present.