Mysore, Apr 13: The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has threatened to &13;launch an agitation on the lines of the one in Nandigram in West Bengal if the &13;State Government did not stop acquiring fertile farm lands for setting up &13;special economic zones (SEZ).

Addressing media persons here, KRRS President K S Puttanaiah said there was a &13;need for a national policy on acquiring farm lands for the purpose of SEZ, &13;until which the State Government should stop the acquisition process. It was &13;necessary that the Government had direct contract for acquiring C and D lands &13;for industrial purposes. The Deputy Commissioners concerned should fix market &13;rates for the lands, before issuing the notification, he added.

He set a deadline of April 23 for the sugar factories to lift sugarcane for &13;crushing in the State or face farmers' agitation. Even though the State &13;Government had reprimanded the sugar factory managements for the delay in &13;crushing sugarcanes, 50 lakh tonnes of sugarcane were yet to be crushed out of &13;the total yield of two crore tonnes. As it was a regular problem that the &13;farmers faced, the Government should create a ''sugarcane farmers'' welfare &13;fund of Rs 1,000 crore to help them during the crisis period, he added.


UNI