Sugarcane growers lay siege to Offices of MPs and MLAs

Stage protest in Bengaluru against Govt. apathy

Mysore/Mysuru: Citing apathy of the State Government towards their ongoing agitation at Bengaluru for fulfilling  their various demands including  Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane, sugarcane growers laid siege to the Offices of MPs and MLAs and also staged protests in city on Monday.

The protesting farmers, who tried to mob the Office of Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha at Jaladarshini Guest House on Hunsur Road were stopped by the Police. Later, they met Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad at his residence and MLAs S.A. Ramdas and L. Nagendra at their Offices and submitted memorandum. They criticised the State Government for its apathy towards sugarcane growers’ ongoing agitation at Bengaluru and demanded that being their ruling party representatives, they should immediately draw the Government’s attention to their problems and get them justice.

Pointing out that in a State like Punjab where sugar yield is less than Karnataka the FRP for sugarcane is Rs.3,800, in Uttar Pradesh it is Rs.3,500 and in Gujarat Rs. 4,400, the farmers demanded that the State Government should fix Rs. 3,500 per ton of yield. “Sugar factory owners are extorting farmers in the harvesting and transportation of sugarcane. Sugarcane harvesting is being done after 16 months. The rate per km as fixed by the Government between the land of farmer and the sugar factory should be reduced. If excess rates are charged by the factories, the Government should initiate action against them through Deputy Commissioners and file criminal cases,” they urged..

“As sugarcane harvesting is being done after 16-18 months, an additional amount as interest should be paid in addition to FRP. The Government should put an end to the practice of sugar factory fieldmen taking excess money from farmers without mentioning them in the bill. The agreement which is introduced by the Government, between sugarcane farmer and the factories should be implemented and a copy of the agreement should be given to the farmers,” the farmers said.