From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network
 
Bengaluru, Aug 12: Flower growers and vendors protested at the city's international flower auction market on Thursday demanding the immediate withdrawal of Chief secretary P Ravi Kumar’s order against presenting flower bouquets, garlands or fruit baskets in all government functions and said it is placing a burden on the states floriculture farmers already recovering from the corona hardship.
 
Speaking at the event, T M Aravind, President of the South India Floriculture Association, who led the protest said it is a tragedy for the families of thousands of farmers engaged in flower cultivation in the state covering 7500 hectares.“There are no scientific or research findings behind this decision. With this ban the flower growers who are already suffering from hardship from the pandemic will be further affected. Farmers who have been disturbed by lack of public meetings for years may be driven to commit suicide. Crores of rupees were involved in floriculture”, he said.

Srikanth Bollapalli, President of the Flower Council of India, said: “Floriculture is being carried out through the Green House on 7500 hectares besides flowers are also grows on millions of acres in the informal sector.’’ ``There are about six people working on an acre and about 15 people on a hectare. Bangalore is a major hub of the countrys flower industry, with flowers exported from Bangalore to the country and abroad. It would be inappropriate to impose a ban on floriculture, which is a major contributor to foreign exchange and the economy,’’ he said.
 
The protesters demanded the withdrawal the ban order on the life-support industry of the state's floriculture farmers and millions of people involved in the flower industry.
 
Representatives of states florists and florist farmers' organizations, all the States florists and florist associations participated in the innovative protest, holding a bouquet, necklace and fruit baskets.