Speakers at the 16th Mobile Biodiversity Festival held in this tiny village in Nyalakal mandal have demanded that the Telangana Government declare Telangana a ‘Millet State’.
The month-long festival organised by the Deccan Development Society (DDS) began on a colourful note with the participation of a large number of women. Bullock carts, part of a caravan that will tour neighbouring mandals to spread the message of living in sync with the environment, were decorated with seeds in glass-fittings. The carts were also part of a huge rally held in the village on the occasion.
The rally will conclude on February 13 at Pastapur in Jarasangam mandal.
Addressing the gathering, DDS director P.V. Satheesh said the State should be declared a Millet State on the lines of Uttarakhand, which was declared an ‘Organic State’. He said Karnataka had been rationing millets through the PDS, in addition to offering incentives for cultivating the crops. He also demanded that the government announce a minimum support price (MSP) for the crop.
Mr. Satheesh also urged farmers not to cultivate cotton.
