Mysuru: Farmers from the region protested in front of district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa’s house on Sunday demanding immediate release of water from Kabini dam, failing which they asked the authorities to feed them with poison.
Farmers led by their leader Kurubur Shanthakumar, demanded immediate release of 1 TMC water to save standing crops in front of Mahadevappa’s house. They said that 20 lakhs quintal paddy crop and an investment of Rs 400 crore investments will go waste if the government does not act immediately.
They accused the government of releasing 1500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu when the water level stood at 65 feet in Kabini dam. Last year the water release was stopped when the level reached 55 feet where as this year it was stopped when the water level stood at 64 feet, they alleged. They said that if the crops are saved, live stock will get fodder during summer period. The protesting farmers accused minister H C Mahadevappa ignoring them, despite being aware of the problem. They also accused the district administration officials of submitting themselves like slaves without solving farmers’ genuine problems.
They accused Bannari sugar mills of giving low prices of Rs 1700 per tonne, despite sugar prices ruling high in the market. They accused the authorities of neglecting the interests of farmers in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar region, when farmers from other districts are getting better prices for their yield.