KOLAR: The district-wide bandh in Kolar on Monday demanding a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per tonne of mangoes was total in Srinivasapura, while it evoked a mixed response in other parts.
There were widespread protests and farmers dumped mangoes on the Bengaluru-Chennai highway in Srinivasapura. However, the police ensured that the movement of vehicles was not affected. The prices of mangoes are on a downward spiral since the beginning of this harvest season in the district. Mango growers claimed that they appealed to the government several times through the district administration, but there was no response.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Mangala SM, who visited the protest sites, said the district administration has taken up the issue with the state and Union governments and is expecting a favourable decision soon. The bandh was called by multiple pro-farmer organisations, including the Mango Growers Welfare Development Association. Kolar MP M Mallesh Babu, MLA GK Venkatasiva Reddy, JDS leader CMR Srinath and several other political leaders near the Colony Gate at Srinivasapura and Chintamani Road. The protestors blocked the road at the KSRTC bus stand.
JDS MLA GK Venkatasiva Reddy said the government was requested to intervene from the beginning of the harvest season to help growers, but it did not. JDs will stand with the farmers until justice is done, he added.
Reddy warned that if the state government does not announce the MSP, the farmers will intensify the protest and march from Srinivasapur to Vidhana Soudha.
“The farmers are dependent on the mango crop. The government should consider their demand. Otherwise, the government will be held responsible for the consequences,” he said.
Neelatur Chinnappa Reddy, the district president of the Mango Growers Association, said the government is indifferent towards the plight of farmers. If a mango processing and pulp factory were established in this area, there would be no problem, he said. Mallesh Babu said Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has written a letter to the Minister of Horticulture regarding the fall in mango prices. He said Kumaraswamy is currently in Bhopal and has promised to announce the MSP as soon as he reaches Delhi.
The state government is not supporting the farmers and not interested in their welfare, he said. Srinath said many farmers in the district rely on the mango crop that comes once a year. “This is not a recent problem. This is the second consecutive year the mango growers have been facing a price crash. Despite being aware of this, the state government is reluctant to solve the issue,” he said.
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha vice-president K Narayana Gowda said the government must announce MSP in the next 24 hours. If it it does not, mangoes will be dumped in front of the houses of all MLAs in the district, he said.
