Mysore, July 6 (KK&KMC)- More than a thousand farmers from various parts of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, under the banners of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and Karnataka Hasiru Sene, took out a march in city to protest against the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL)'s negligence towards farmers and the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC)'s "anti-farmer policies."

The farmers, led by KRRS President K.S. Puttannaiah, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar and Badagalapura Nagendra, commenced their procession from the Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple of Mysore Palace at 11 am. They marched via K.R. Circle and Sayyaji Rao Road, reaching the Command Area Development Authority (CADA) office, where they staged a dharna.

The farmers draped in green shawls, held placards and banners with slogans against the CNNL and APMC.

A portrait of the erstwhile ruler of Mysore State, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, was placed on a vehicle at the vanguard of the procession. The processionists marched to the beats of Thamate and Dolu.

A public meeting was held at the CADA premises at 2 pm after which lunch was served to all the rallyists at the venue.

Later, the farmers would continue their march to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where they would stage a protest demonstration till 5 pm.

Puttannaiah, addressing the farmers, said they must continue a relentless agitation till their demands were met.

"The State Government must make budgetary allocations of at least Rs. 1000 crore for the agricultural sector," he demanded.

Some of the demands of the farmers are: Renovate the canals in the Cauvery catchment area that are more than 200 years old and in a dilapidated condition; desilt the existing canals and appoint personnel to maintain them; complete various pending irrigation projects; rejuvenate the lakes and tanks meant for irrigation purpose; provide compensation to farmers who lost land for civic works, compensate farmers for crop losses and take up river-linking project (to link Nethravathi river to Cauvery river).

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore