Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) protested outside the office of Deputy Commissioner here on Monday demanding the State government to withdraw proposed amendments to Karnataka Land Reforms Act.
The agitating activists held that the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Act - 2015, which was "hurriedly" passed by Karnataka legislature "without any debate" on the floors, would fasten the process of driving out farmers from agriculture sector and handing over vast tracts of lands to big business houses for corporate farming.
They said that raising the cap of annual income from non-agricultural sources for buying agriculture lands from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh would fasten the process of shrinking agriculture area in the State.
"The provisions in the amended Act would allow real estate and corporate farming companies to own huge tracts of agriculture land driving out the poor and crisis-stricken farmers from the field," Mallayya Jalahalli, district president of the organisation, said during the protest. He demanded the government to restore the Act at its previous position.
Bagir hukum lands:
The activists condemn the State government for its "harassment" and efforts to evict bagair hukum farmers from the government lands that they had been cultivating for the last several years. They demanded for a joint survey by the Departments of Police, Revenue and Forest and regularise the bagair hukum lands to the genuine cultivators.
"Improper and irregular power supply to farm pump-sets is another big issue for farmers. The government had promised that it would ensure three-phase power to pump-sets for seven hours a day. But, farmers are not getting the quality power even 4 hours a day. The government should ensure that irrigation pump-sets are supplied with quality power at least 12 hours a day," K.G. Veeresh, taluk secretary of the organisation, demanded.
A memorandum was submitted to the office of Deputy Commissioner.
