Farmers lay siege to DC's office

High drama ensued at office of deputy commissioner here on Tuesday as a sugarcane grower threatened to attempt suicide by hanging self on a tree.

The sugarcane grower identified as Anand of Halladamanuganahalli in H D Kote taluk said loans were the reason for him to take the extreme step. Blaming officials, he said none of them had offered a helping hand to sugarcane growers, which had caused him to climb the tree.

Meanwhile, a couple of other farmers climbed the tree and tried to convince Anand to get down. However, he refused to do so. Later, police and fire force personnel used ladders and brought down the aggrieved farmer.

Earlier in the day, farmers under the banner of Sugarcane Growers Association (SGA) laid siege to the office of deputy commissioner here on Tuesday slamming the callous attitude of administrative board of  Bannari Sugar Factory. They also demanded immediate release of water from Kabini to save the existing crops.

The farmers demanded that field assistants should provide cutting permits for crops without any discrimination. They slammed the factory for not allowing ryots to examine the weighing of crops. The factory is taking unilateral decisions and taking signatures of farmers to agreements, without taking into consideration the demands of the ryots.

They also alleged that the factory was paying Rs 100 less than the amount agreed in the agreement. The factory also shut down an office at Sargur, following a protest by the association demanding compensation for the family of a farmer in H D Kote, who had committed suicide.

For the year 2010-11, the factory still has to pay Rs 100, whereas for 2011-12, the second installment of Rs 500 is yet to be paid to the ryots. The farmers demanded that per tonne Rs 3000 should be paid as advance for 2012-13.

They demanded that central and state government should waive off loans taken from nationalised banks.

SGA president Kurubur Shanthakumar, district president Kudanahalli Rajanna, Athahalli Devaraj, Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj, Kiragasur Shankar, Prabhakar, Nagaraju and others participated in the protest.