Farmers from Belagavi who are agitating against the construction of a by-pass from Macche to Halga on the Belagavi-Goa NH4A presented a memorandum to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to cancel the by-pass connecting NH4 A and the Pune-Bengaluru main highway. During CM Yediyurappa’s one day visit to Belagavi on last Friday.
Despite Covid protocol, a large number of farmers had gathered in front of the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha, the legislative house in Belagavi on Friday afternoon where Yediyurappa had arrived to hold a meeting regarding the rising cases of Covid. The farmers shouting slogans who had staged a dharna caught the attention of the CM in front of the main gate and submitted a memorandum demanding cancellation of the by-pass.
“Farmers are losing thousands of acres of paddy & sugarcane growing fertile lands across the 12 km stretch. While the few farmers have been misled and given their assent for acquisition of land , however, majority of farmers who hold small land holdings do not have any source of livelihood and would be left in lurch, hence we urge you to cancel the by-pass,” farmer leaders who submitted a memorandum have urged.
“Farmers issues will addressed and I will also direct officials to take up the matter so that farmers would be given appropriate compensation. I urge farmers not to obstruct the by-pass which is part of a ring road,” Yediyurappa said.
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However, unrelenting, the farmers continued to stage the dharna due to which police arrested the farmer leaders and took them to Hirebagawadi police station and later released them
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– The Nachiket