Compensation sought for sugarcane growers

Members of the Janata Dal (Secular) staged a dharna in the Legislative Assembly on Monday demanding that the government announce compensation to sugarcane growers, as they are bound to lose their crop when the canals run dry in the old-Mysore region thanks to the release of water to Tamil Nadu.

Members of the JD(S), led by H.C. Balakrishna, rushed to the well of the House and staged a dharna for a while. Mr. Balakrishna said the standing sugarcane crop would wither in Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajangar districts if no water was released into the canals. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said the issue would be discussed in the coming days.