The Supreme Court’s order on Tuesday resulted in sporadic protests in Mandya.
“The order is against the ground realities and the entire farming community will raise strong protests,” G. Made Gowda of the Mandya Zilla Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti said. Mandya saw roadblocks, with protesters raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Speaking to presspersons in Mandya, Mr. Made Gowda, a former MP, expressed his displeasure over the apex court for passing the order “without understanding” the ground realities. Instead, the court could have sent a team of experts to study the actual situation of farmers and reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, he said.
He demanded crop loss compensation from the State government to farmers in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka. The KRRS leaders also expressed shock over the direction of the court to the Centre to form the Cauvery Management Board.
As Mr. Modi is “not responding” to continuous protests and pleas from farmers, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) leaders are contemplating seeking the intervention of the President of India to solve the issue. “We have already discussed the issue with K.S. Puttannaiah, MLA, Melkote, to write to the President,” senior KRRS leaders told The Hindu .
In Mysuru, farmers took to the streets yet again. Led by Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthkumar, they staged a dharna outside the city law courts here. Mr. Shanthkumar said: “Water should not be released and the last remaining water in the dams should be kept for the State’s use, mainly for drinking.”