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.
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
– The Nachiket
