Sugarcane farmers threaten stir

Mysore, Feb 27 (UNI) The Karnataka Rajya Ritha Sangha (KRRS) today threatened to launch a 'jail bharo' agitation on March three if the State Government did not agree to pay Rs 200 subsidy per tonne of sugarcane to farmers who are facing a crisis.

Addressing the media, KRRS President K S Puttaniah charged the government with delaying the announcement on minimum support price for sugarcane, postponing the dates several times.

The sugarcane farmers had represented several occasions to the government on their demand for the subsidy, Rs 25,000 per hectare as compensation for uncrushed sugarcane and transportation subsidy.

Thousands of the farmers from all over the State would converge in Bangalore on March three for the agitation which would be held at all district headquarters of the State, he added.

Mr Puttaniah said the KRRS would also pass a resolution against the proposed Chamalapura Thermal Power Project near here.

He also opposed the move by the Tamil Nadu Government on taking up the drinking water supply project at Hogenakkal bordering Karnataka in Chamarajanagara District.

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