Set up Areca Development Board, KRRS urges government

Karnataka Rajya Raith Sangha (KRRS) urged the government to set up Areca Development Board in order to protect the interests of areca growers.

KRRS State General Secretary Ravikiran Punacha told media persons at Patrika Bhavan on Thursday that their demands, including the areca nut board, will be raised during the farmers’ convention planned in Maruti Mandira in Belagavi on December 12, on the eve of the Karnataka Legislative session in the city.

Pressure will be mounted on the government to take up farmers’ issues during the Legislative session. He said that if the Legislative session does not take up farmers’ issues for discussion, a huge protest will be organised in front of DC’s office in Mangaluru.

A memorandum urging the government to implement steps aiming at farmers’ welfare will also be submitted to the chief minister, leader of opposition in the legislative assembly, district in-charge minister, MLAs and MLCs, he added.

Punacha said that the farmers in Dakshina Kannada district had incurred huge losses due to untimely rains this year.

Areca crop in 6,300 hectares across the district was affected by yellow leaf disease. The import price of the white ‘gotadike’ variety of areca should be provided with a minimum import price of Rs 350 per kilo. Centre should submit research findings to Supreme Court that areca does not cause cancer and is good for health, he added.

Permission should not be given for the installation of electricity towers on government land. The towers were proposed as part of the Udupi-Kasaragod 400 kv electricity line. No discussions were carried out with the farmers before the implementation of the project, he added.

KRRS District President Oswald Prakash Fernandes, District unit General Secretary K Premanatha Shetty Baltila, District unit Vice President Alwyn Menezes and District organising secretary Ronnie Mendonca were present.

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