Addressing a press meet on Saturday, he said unseasonal rains have played havoc on the lives of farmers. Coffee has started blossoming in the district. There are all possibility of no harvest during the next year.
He said: “farmers get 10 quintal paddy in one acre field in Kodagu. The expenditure is Rs 15,000. However, owing to the unseasonal rains, paddy harvest has been lost. Farmers are planning to go for banana plantation or ginger cultivation instead of paddy next year. With this, there will be shortage of paddy next year. In this background, district administration should assess the loss in paddy harvest and try to provide compensation to the farmers at the earliest.”
In Kerala, for the paddy growing farmers, government provides financial assistance of Rs 20,000 per acre.
The Government should come forward to provide compensation to the farmers who depend on monsoon for paddy, on Kerala model in Malnad. Farmers who have lost paddy due to unseasonal rains should be given compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre. The loans of the small growers who have lost coffee harvest should be waived off.”
“Whenever coffee problem arise, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa points at the Centre. If Centre is supposed to do everything, then why there is State Government,” he questioned.
Subbaiah said “by appointing wildlife division warden, the government has provided a way for the pseudo environmentalists to enter forest. There is a hidden agenda to privatise forest department. The move of the government to appoint wardens will help the Forest department officials who are hand in glove with the environmentalists to loot the forest by getting grants from foreign countries.
The Government should suspend the appointment of wardens. If it fails to do so, then I will question government’s move in the High Court,” he warned.
Subbaiah’s plea to Bopaiah
Former MLA A K Subbaiah said that he has urged newly elected Speaker K G Bopaiah to make earnest effort to solve the major problems being faced by the people in Kodagu district.
Addressing a press meet, he said “whatever differences of opinion we have, I congratulate Bopaiah for attaining the highest position.”
The revenue and forest rules are being modified in the interest of some vested interests. Coffee is not being written in RTC. Some of the special problems which are restricted only to Kodagu district is not being discussed in the Assembly. Bopaiah should respond to such problems.”
The victory of T John in the Council election is not the victory of Congress. However, it is the victory of secular forces in Kodagu, he added.
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