Karnataka Growers’ Federation has welcomed Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s announcement to extend free electricity to pumpsets of capacity up to 10 hp in coffee plantations.
KGF President H.T. Mohan Kumar said at a press conference in Hassan on Wednesday that the federation had placed this demand before the State Government many times. While other farmers had been enjoying this benefit, the federation wanted it to be extended to the coffee growers as well. The Chief Minister had made a statement in this regard in the legislature session on March 22.
“We thank the CM on behalf of all coffee planters and planters’ associations”, he said. He also thanked the elected representatives of coffee-growing areas for putting pressure on the government in this regard.
Elephant menace
A delegation of the KGF had attended the meeting on elephant menace in the Malnad region, convened by Forest Minister Umesh Katti in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Mr. Mohan Kumar said the Forest Minister had assured the delegation that he would take a delegation to the Central Government seeking funds for the elephant corridor and other measures necessary to handle the situation. The participants urged the Minister to release compensation for the growers who suffered a loss due to the movement of elephants in their plantations, he said.
