The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Farmers withdraw agitation after receiving assurance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Farmers withdraw agitation after receiving assurance

Staff Correspondent

Sugarcane growers to meet Deputy Chief Minister to fix procurement price

MYSORE: Sugarcane farmers of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, who laid a seize to the Deputy Commissioner's office in the city on Monday, withdrew their agitation after the Government assured to hold talks with their representatives in Bangalore on Thursday to fix a new procurement price for sugarcane.

The farmers' representatives, led by the president of the Sugarcane Growers' Association, Kurubur Shanthakumar, will meet the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, in Bangalore at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of farmers descended on the premises of Town Hall before marching to Deputy Commissioner's office through K.R. Circle and D. Devaraj Urs Road.

They raised slogans against the Government for neglecting the farmers. The farmers, who had come prepared with cooking vessels and ration, threatened to stay put until all their demands were met.

Their demands included increasing the procurement price of sugarcane from Rs. 950 per tonne to Rs. 1,250 per tonne. The farmers urged the Government to take the cost of cultivation into consideration before fixing the procurement price.

They also urged the authorities to give necessary directions to the banks to discontinue collecting Rs. 50 to issue no due certificates to farmers seeking agricultural loans.

They also urged the authorities concerned to release water from Kabini for irrigation immediately.

When the farmers reached the Deputy Commissioner's office, the officials assured to convey their grievances to the Government and place their demands before them for suitable redressal.

But, the farmers rejected the assurance and insisted that their demand be placed before the Government immediately and date be fixed for talks on revising the procurement price for sugarcane. After discussing the matter with senior officials in Bangalore, the Deputy Commissioner, Selva Kumar, told the protestors that Mr. Siddaramaiah will hold talks with their representatives on Thursday to resolve the matter.

The Deputy Commissioner even assured to convene a meeting of bank officials in the next two to three days to discuss the farmers' demand on reducing the fee collected by them for issuing no due certificates.

The Government also agreed to release water from Kabini reservoir from Tuesday. The farmers will start receiving water in their fields from July 15.

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