Karnataka - Mysore   

Sugarcane growers’ protest tomorrow

MYSORE: Sugarcane farmers will stage a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan in Bangalore on August 8 to protest against the failure of the sugar factories in paying them the additional Rs. 160 for a tonne of sugarcane as directed by Governor Rameshwar Thakur.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, president of Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association Kurubur Shanthakumar said the Government had failed to implement the Governor’s directive issued during President’s Rule on March 1.

“Though five months had elapsed since the Governor issued an order to pay farmers an additional of Rs. 160 for a tonne, the directions are yet to be honoured by sugar factories. The Government has allowed the sugar factories to function by giving us false assurances”, Mr. Shanthakumar said.

Though the Government had held periodic meetings and directed the sugar factories to pay the farmers their dues, the farmers had been denied the money and were facing a difficult situation, he said. “It is not just the private sugar mills that have defied the Governor’s directions. Even the state-owned sugar factories and co-operative sugar factories have not implemented the order,” Mr. Shanthakumar said.

The association would pressure the Government to fix the rate for sugarcane for 2008-09 before the farmers begin harvesting their yield, he said.

“To press for our demands, thousands of sugarcane farmers from different parts of the State will gather in front of Raj Bhavan in Bangalore on August 8,” Mr. Shanthakumar said.

Mr. Shanthakumar urged the Government to crack the whip against the sugar factories by confiscating the sugar and by-products like molasses till the farmers’ dues were cleared.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Happy time at Mysore zoo
Venkatesh demands ban on ‘plagiarised’ book
AIISH to launch six study centres
Meet on Dasara throws up two issues
Nagabharana: give priority to ending atrocities on children
ZP approves Rs. 80.62-cr. water project
Results announced
Stir threat
Sugarcane growers’ protest tomorrow

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu