Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) in association with Hasiru Sene has demanded the immediate intervention of State and the Union governments into the challenges currently encountered by farmers community.
A group of national farmers’ leaders who addressed a media conference here on Saturday expressed concerns about the life and welfare of farmers who are currently exposed to a several issues including increasing cost of farming, price fall of certain commodities, fear of an impending drought, rising debts, and descrimatory policies of the Union government to keep farmers away from the bilateral benefits available under the WTO regime. KRRS also mooted the formation of a Watch Cell to ensure WTO benefits reach farmer communities across the country.
K.T. Gangadhar, founder member of KRRS, told The Hindu that a two-day farmers’ national convention held in Bengaluru on September 7 and 8 was attended by farmers’ co-ordinator committees from 12 different States and identified eight key issues that have to be addressed by states and central governments.
“Farmers are often tossed between surplus rainfall and drought and other vageries of nature adversely impacting the farming in Karnataka and in other States. We want governments to fix permanent solutions to our problems,’‘ demanded Mr. Gangadhar.
The farmers’ body also alleged that Karnataka has violated the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 by acquiring 1,700 acres of farm land for industrial development at Devanahalli of Channarayapatna. “Farmers in eight villages are affected by this illegal move of the State government and we want the government to return this land to farmers and vacate from this land deal,’‘ KRRS further demanded.
The farmers’ combine also protested any trials or experiments that are happening in Karnataka around BT mustard. It may be recalled that the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee cleared the environmental release of genetically modified herbivorous-tolerant mustard seeds a year ago.
Many of the farmers’ who attended the national seminar had also met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday with their demands.
