For Mandya farmers, it's a bitter Sankranti

MANDYA: Farmers in Mandya district are in no mood to celebrate the harvest festival of MakaraSankranti. The plight of their standing crops weighs heavily on them. Crops on 50,000 to 60,000 hectares is at risk with authorities stopping release of water from KRS reservoir. Sugar mills are yet to disburse the crores due to the sugarcane growers. "We were expecting drought to hit us hard.But not as early as January itself. Though, Sankranti is our festival, farmers are too upset to celebrate it," said Nagaraju, a farmer in Kommerahallii village.
A pall of gloom has descended on each and every village due stopping releasing of water to canals. The farmers blame the government for its failure to maintain sufficient of water in the reservoirs. "This time drought is at our doorstep in winter. This year Sankranti has failed to bring prosperity to us," farmers rued.
According to farmer leader Shambunahalli Suresh, sugar mills including state-owned Mysugar Company owes nearly Rs 35 crores due to farmers and non-payment of this money has added to Sankranti's woes.
K S Puttannaiah, farmer chief, claimed that farmers are facing the brunt of the state's collective failure over the Cauvery and sugarcane support price issue. "Had the government been committed to addressing farmers' woes, this appalling situation would not have arisen," he said.