JD(S) demands for farmers' loan waiver

Coffee should be considered as food crop: Protesters

JD(S) workers staged a protest demanding suitable compensation for farmers who have incurred loss following heavy rain in Chikmagalur district, on Friday.

The protesters took out procession from the JD(S) office and passed through Mahatma Gandhi road before culminating at the DC’s office. They shouted slogans against the state and the central government.

The protesters urged the government to waive off the loans borrowed by the growers and submitted a petition to the Additional DC.

Addressing the protesters, JD(S) leader H H Devaraj said “commercial crops have been damaged in the rain. The farmers are not in a position to maintain the plantations. Atleast five years would be required to bring the plantations back to normal condition. The state and the centre should release maintenance cost for the farmers.”

Keeping in mind the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, leaders from different political parties have been visiting a few affected fields in Malnad.

He urged the District-in-Charge Minister to impress upon the state and the central government to release additional funds to be distributed among farmers.

Dalit Sangharsha Samithi district convener Venkatesh said if the government fails to respond to the woes of the farmers, then the DSS will intensify its protest in the future.
JD(S) leader Toranamavu Lakshmana Gowda said that the government should announce suitable compensation.

Leader Bharath said that the MP and the District-in-Charge Minister should visit the rain-affected areas in the district.

Other demands are steps to stop non cooperation by the Coffee Board, coffee should be considered as food crops and those poor who have encroached forest land for constructing houses should not be evicted. The government should supply fertilisers and insecticides free of cost. Banks should stop forcible recovery of the loans. The government should come to the rescue of the small and marginal farmers, they said.

Supporting the protest, a few business establishments had pulled down the shutter.