The Hindu : Karnataka News : KRRS wants ‘Operation Kabbu'

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Tuesday, Mar 29, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

KRRS wants ‘Operation Kabbu'

Staff Correspondent

Hassan: The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha has asked the BJP Government to launch an ‘Operation Kabbu' (Operation Sugarcane) to address the problems of growers in the State.

Sangha president K.S. Puttannaiah, while addressing farmers who picketed the Holenarsipur taluk office on Monday demanding fair price for cane, said all former Chief Ministers in the past 10 years had declared themselves to work for of the farmers' causes. They wore green shawls to show solidarity with farmers. However, they turned a blind eye to farmers' problems later.

“Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has been busy planning Operation Lotus, since he came to power. Why can't he launch an Operation Kabbu, to address problems of sugarcane growers?” he asked.

Problem

As much as 1.5 lakh tonnes of sugarcane grown by farmers of Holenarsipur and Belur taluks had not been crushed so far. The Government had not devoted enough time to address the problem.

If the sugarcane was not crushed, farmers would not get returns for their investment.

Mr. Puttannaiah asked the Government to send this sugarcane to factories which had the capacity to crush the crop and provide transport subsidy for growers.

Meagre price

Further, he alleged that sugar factories were giving only a meagre price for the crop. Factories were able to produce 120 kg of sugar per day using the sugarcane grown in these two taluks. Depending on the quantity of sugarcane produced, the factories should give at least Rs. 3,000 per tonne. But farmers had been getting only Rs. 350 per tonne, Mr. Puttannaiah said.

The farmers took out a protest rally from Channambika Circle to the taluk office.

They also condemned the lathi-charge on farmers in Koppal recently.

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