Karanja Irrigation Project: Farmers call off indefinite agitation

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre with farmers in Bidar on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: GOPICHAND T.

Convinced by the government’s assurances to meet their demands, farmers affected by the Karanja Irrigation Project, who were on an indefinite satyagraha for the last two-and-a-half years, called off their agitation on Saturday.

Forest Minister and Bidar in-charge Eshwara Khandre met the agitating farmers in Bidar on Saturday and convinced the farmers by elucidating his government’s measures and the roadmap ahead to address the issue.

“Our government is committed to safeguarding the interests of the farmers who had lost their valuable lands to the Karanja project. As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had assured in a meeting with Karanja-affected farmers during the last Winter Session of the legislature in Belagavi, a technical committee has also been formed to look into the demands. The committee will shortly come up with its recommendations to find a solution to the issue,” Mr. Khandre said appealing to farmers to end their agitation.

Lakshman Dasti, senior activist and founder-president of Kalyana Karnataka Horata Samiti, also appealed to the farmers to call off their agitation by pointing to the Siddaramaiah government’s measures for addressing the issue.

Chandrashekhar Patil Huchakanalli, president of Karanja Displaced Farmers Hitharakshana Samiti, appreciated the government, especially Mr. Khandre for his special interest in addressing the farmers’ issue and formally announced the withdrawal of the prolonged agitation.

Mr. Huchakanalli recalled how the farmers had given their valuable agricultural lands to the Karanja project, a major irrigation project of the Godavari basin in Karnataka, without any expectations in return. He added that the farmers had received meagre amounts for their land.

“Some farmers got only ₹3,600 per acre and others ₹7,200 per acre. Those who moved the court for higher compensation got up to ₹15,00,000 per acre. Since most of the farmers did not get a justifiable compensation, they resorted to agitation,” he said in a media note.