BELAGAVI: Accusing the Karnataka government of failing to protect sugarcane farmers’ interests and allegedly favouring sugar factory owners, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene state president Kodihalli Chandrashekhar on Friday warned of a massive farmers’ protest during the winter session of the State Legislature, beginning in Belagavi on December 2, if their demands were not addressed without discrimination.
Chandrashekhar said the government should resolve the problems of sugarcane growers in a fair and transparent manner instead of allowing factory owners’ demands to be projected through leaders of the farmers’ movement.
“It is unfortunate that the government, which is expected to resolve farmers’ problems, is allegedly using farmers’ movement leaders to put forward the demands of sugar factory owners. Instead of safeguarding farmers’ interests, the government appears to be siding with mill owners,” he said.
Following several rounds of negotiations involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ministers, farmers’ representatives and sugar factory owners, an agreement was reached to pay Rs 3,600 per tonne as the first instalment.
Questions, however, remain over the implementation of the settlement, as some factories have reportedly communicated a payment structure of Rs 3,500 initially and the remaining Rs 100 after the crushing season.
Farmers have also been seeking an additional incentive through profit-sharing arrangements and clarity on the government’s commitments.
Referring to the drought situation, Chandrashekhar said the State had suffered an estimated loss of around Rs 62,000 crore, but the compensation extended to farmers was inadequate.
He alleged that the government had done injustice to farmers by providing only Rs 2,500 in compensation and demanded immediate intervention to protect those who had suffered crop losses.
“The government should provide compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre to farmers who have suffered crop losses,” he demanded.
