Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SS)

Bantwal, Dec 26: Farmers laid siege to the Thumbe vented dam on Tuesday, December 26, demanding that they should be provided appropriate relief and an alternative to the victims whose agricultural land on the lower right side was washed away due to the water flowing from the vented dam.

The protest was carried out under the leadership of Sridhar Shetty, district president of Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sena.

When the aggrieved farmers tried to lock up the water supply office near the dam, it resulted in jostling between the police and the farmers. The police stopped the protesters even as they were about to lock up the dam’s water supply plant.

The farmers insisted that the commissioner of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) visit the place and warned of remaining there until the demands of the victims were resolved. The farmers lit fire to big pots and started cooking to register their protest.

MCC engineer Naresh Shenoy, Bantwal tahsildar S B Kudalgi, deputy tahsildar Diwakar Muguli and assistant engineer Ashwin among others visited the spot and tried to convince the farmers but they were unrelenting.

State general secretary of Farmers Association Manohar Shetty Nadikambala Guthu, District president Sridhar Shetty Bailuguthu, Taluk committee president Subramanya Bhat Manjinadka, N Idinabba, district convenor Dayananda Shetty addressed the protestors in Kulluruguttu and said that due to the negligence of the MCC, acres of land of farmers were washed away and the farmers suffered huge losses. “Despite making several requests to the authorities to provide for compensation and an alternative system, the MCC had not responded positively,” they said.

“The people’s representatives and the authorities have shown no mercy to the burning problem of the farmers here. Though farmers are considered the backbone of the country, instead of taking care of their welfare, injustice has been done,” they charged.

Leaders of Farmers Association Muruva Mahabala Bhat, Sudesh Maya, Bhaskara, Dilip Rai, Moidinabba, Aam Aadmi Party district president Vishukumar, secretary Janardana Bangera led the agitation.

MCC commissioner visits protest site

MCC commissioner Ananda C L paid a visit to the protest site. He listened to the grievances of the affected farmers.

The farmers complained about the construction of a permanent barrier near the Tumbe dam, the silt of the sewage flowing out of the Tumbe water treatment plant and water being stopped without informing the farmers. Farmers demanded that compensation should also be given to the Varatha area as electricity connection of the pumpsets were being cut off during the summer without informing the farmers.

Responding to the problem of the farmers, the commissioner said the MCC has earmarked money for the construction of the barrier and tenders have been called for the work. He assured that the work will start soon and two barrier walls will be constructed after which the soil will be filled and the land will be restored.

He said a report will be obtained from the horticulture department after holding discussions with the mayor and appropriate solutions will be provided. He said that a survey of the flooded land will be conducted and a permanent solution will be discussed. The work of desilting the ditch near the treatment plant will be taken up during the summer. He said that when there is water shortage action will be taken after holding discussions with the farmers without snapping the electricity.

Under the leadership of Bantwal rural CI Shivakumar, the police had made elaborate arrangements to cordon off the area. Additional police had been deployed as a precautionary measure.