Farmers’ representatives marched in Mysuru on Monday demanding a joint loan waiver by the Centre and Karnataka government, scientific compensation for crop losses and additional payments for sugarcane, as drought conditions continue to affect agriculture and rural livelihoods in the district.
Members of the district unit of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha began the protest near Buddha Circle in Siddharthanagar and marched to the deputy commissioner’s office, according to Prajavani. The protesters submitted a memorandum outlining their demands.
The organisation said the Centre and the state government should share the cost of a farm loan waiver in a 50:50 ratio. It also demanded compensation based on the actual scale of crop damage and an additional price for sugarcane.
The farmers said severe drought had dried up tanks and other water bodies, while crops planted in different parts of the district had been damaged because of inadequate rainfall. They added that horticultural crops had also suffered after borewells ran dry.
According to the protesters, some residents were leaving their villages to look for work in distant places because agriculture could no longer provide a reliable livelihood. They accused both governments of failing to respond adequately to the difficulties caused by the drought.
The memorandum called for a halt to bank loan recovery while the drought situation persists. The farmers also sought at least seven hours of electricity supply each day for agricultural pump sets and demanded that tanks and other water bodies be filled.
The group asked the authorities to ensure that insurance companies deposit the full crop compensation due to farmers into their bank accounts. It also sought priority for drinking-water supply and increased ration allocations in drought-affected areas.
Another demand concerned pending minimum support price payments. The farmers said arrears for paddy, jowar and ragi procured through government purchase centres should be deposited into farmers’ accounts immediately.
The protesters also asked the administration to hold a low-key Mysuru Dasara celebration because of the severity of the drought. They further demanded that the Kambala event be stopped, citing the prevailing water and agricultural crisis.
The protest was attended by the organisation’s divisional secretary Hosakote Basavaraju, women’s wing general secretary Netravati, district unit president Hosuru Kumar and general secretary Marankayya. The memorandum submitted at the deputy commissioner’s office listed the measures sought from the central and state governments, banks, insurers and district administration.
