On Wednesday, near the Hira Mahalingshwara Temple in Kote, farmers protested against the artificial flooding caused by silt accumulation in rivers, including those at Tekkatte, Kote’s Giliyaaru, Chitrapadi, and Karkada.
The farmers, led by the Kote Farmers' Voice Organisation, staged a demonstration and hunger strike, demanding the removal of silt for a permanent solution.
“The government provides facilities, and there are public representatives to address farmers' concerns, but the situation is not improving. We need to take action to alert the government,” Shetty added.
The event was inaugurated by senior farmer Shanaadi Srinivas Bhat. After performing a ritual at the Hira Mahalingshwara Temple, the participants proceeded to the protest site.
Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari visited the site in the afternoon, requesting the protesters to end their hunger strike while accepting their memorandum and promising to address the issues promptly.
Farmers' demands
- Identify and remove silt from the riverbed of the Suladpu-Madivalasalu river between Malyaadi and Nagarmatha Check Dam in Hosala village.
- Replace the existing narrow tubewell bridges at Sahebakatte Road and Baikuru Baalu with pillar bridges.
- Completely clear the logs installed at Kudur Mane Dam in Karkada village and Nagarmatha Check Dam in Hosala village.
- Conduct a survey by a team of experts to address artificial flooding and implement a timely plan.
- Announce a special relief package for farmers affected by crop losses due to artificial flooding.
DC’s response
“We will forward your demands to the chief minister today. We will manage the tasks related to silt removal, dam construction, and crop loss packages through the district administration. Proposals will be submitted to the government soon, and we will make honest efforts to resolve these issues,” said Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari.
“To address the artificial flooding issues, silt removal and construction of larger bridges are essential. We need a swift resolution to these problems; otherwise, we will resort to more intense protests in the future,” the protest committee leader T Manjunath warned.