HDK holds meeting to tackle farmers woes, political leaders fail to attend

Bengaluru: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, on Tuesday, held discussions with sugarcane factory owners and a delegation of sugarcane cultivators to seek a solution to the problems faced by the sugarcane cultivators. However, most of the leaders stayed away from the meeting.

It is gathered that in-charge minister Ramesh Jarakiholi, MLA Lakshmi Hebbakar, BJP leader Umesh did not attend the meeting called by the CM to discuss the problems faced by the sugar cultivators. However, Chikodi MLA Prakash, Bagalkote sugarcane cultivators were present.

Meanwhile, one of the representatives of the farmers who attended the meeting mentioned that most of the sugarcane factory owners are cheating both the government and sugarcane cultivators by giving false information.

On the other hand, Minister of large and medium-size industry KJ George has held a separate meeting and gathered information about the problems of the sugarcane cultivators and assured to meet the demands of the farmers.

The government had previously instructed that the sugarcane factories should pay a sum of Rs 38 crore to the farmers, whereas the farmers are demanding that sugarcane factory owners should pay a sum of Rs 100 crore to them.