JOIN USIrked ryots stage protest on Mysore-Bangalore road
Members of Raitha Sangha demanded release of water into the canals surrounding KRS to save the withering sugarcane crop, here on Monday.
Staging a protest, the farmers also formed a human chain on Mysore-Bangalore road and raised slogans against the State government, District-in-Charge Minister and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam.
The protesters alleged that sugarcane had been grown in lakhs of acres of land surrounding Krishanraja Sagar reservoir. With the monsoon being delayed, the crops had started to wither due to insufficient water since the last 20 days. Already 10 per cent of the crop had been lost, and farmers were worried over protecting the crop. They flayed the district administration for failing to act, and demanded release of water into the canals immediately.
PSSK president K S Nanjundegowda demanded the government to give poison to the farmers if it could not release water.
BJP taluk unit general secretary S K Manjunath said that district-in-charge minister Ambarish had been issuing contradictory statements over the issue, confusing farmers in the process. If water is not released immediately the party workers would lay siege to KRS, he warned.
In Hassan
Meanwhile in Channarayapatna, Hassan district, scores of Raitha Sangha and Hasiru sene members staged a dharna in front of Chamundeshwari Sugar Factory, demanding scientific pricing for sugarcane.
The protesters alleged that ICAL paid Rs 2,400 per tonne of sugarcane, while Chamundeshwari Sugar Factory paid only 2,100. This disparity in the pricing was affecting the farmers, who felt that they were being cheated.
Apart from it, they said that arrears of last year had not been paid.
Tahsildar K Krishna, who visited the spot held talks with factory assistant vice-president S Britto and assured the release of funds as soon as possible.
Addressing the agitators, Britto said that as per Central government direction, the company was paying Rs 2,100, and the matter of paying extra was before the court.
“If there is a ruling from government, we are ready to pay the additional amount,” he added.
Last year, the company had to pay Rs 44.60 crore to the farmers out, of which Rs 42.30 crore has been paid. “The due amount will be given to farmers shortly,” he said.