K'taka farmers threaten to follow Nandigram model

Mysore, Apr 13 (UNI) The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has threatened to launch an agitation on the lines of the one in Nandigram in West Bengal if the State Government did not stop acquiring fertile farm lands for setting up special economic zones (SEZ).

Addressing media persons here, KRRS President K S Puttanaiah said there was a need for a national policy on acquiring farm lands for the purpose of SEZ, until which the State Government should stop the acquisition process. It was necessary that the Government had direct contract for acquiring C and D lands for industrial purposes. The Deputy Commissioners concerned should fix market rates for the lands, before issuing the notification, he added.

He set a deadline of April 23 for the sugar factories to lift sugarcane for crushing in the State or face farmers' agitation. Even though the State Government had reprimanded the sugar factory managements for the delay in crushing sugarcanes, 50 lakh tonnes of sugarcane were yet to be crushed out of the total yield of two crore tonnes. As it was a regular problem that the farmers faced, the Government should create a sugarcane farmers welfare fund of Rs 1,000 crore to help them during the crisis period, he added.

UNI