JOIN USUrging for a loan waiver for coffee, areca and pepper growers, a one-hour bandh was observed in Ammatti, on Wednesday.
Addressing the protest meet, Kodava Samaja, Ammati, president Mookonda Bose Devaiah said that the chief minister should keep the promise he made before the elections. Coffee, areca and pepper growers should be included in the loan waiver scheme by the state government.
He further said that the police department is not acting even though there have been series of thefts in Ammatti. Valuables, including guns possessed for self-protection, were stolen from the houses of growers. The accused are not arrested so far.
Raita Sangha district convener Kademada Manu Somaiah said that various farmer unions will carry out a fight for the loan waiver. Farmers from Sakaleshpur, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu will take part. The protests will continue until the loans of coffee, areca and pepper growers are waived-off.
Calling the conservator of forests in Madikeri an incompetent officer, he pointed out that nothing has been done to prevent the tiger attacks in Kodagu. Tigers have killed a lot of cattle.
A memorandum was submitted to tahsildar R Govindaraju on the occasion.
Ammattinadu Raitha Sangha president Kavadichanda Ganapathy, B C Subbaiah, Machimanda Suvin Ganapathy and others took part in the protest.
A bandh was observed in the Ammatti town between 10.30 am and 11.30 am.