The Struggle Committee for Rights of Farmers losing their lands to Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) in Mysuru has warned the authorities against testing the patience of the families of farmers, who have been holding a dharna for the last three months demanding employment in a sugar factory to establish which their lands at Alaganchi village of Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru had been acquired.
As the dharna staged by the families of farmers demanding employment as per the condition stipulated by the KIADB while allotting land to Bannari Amman Sugar Mill in Alaganchi village entered the 91st day, Ugra Narasimhe Gowda, State Convenor of Janandolanagala Maha Maithri, which is part of the Struggle Committee, cautioned the State government, Mysuru district administration, and KIADB that the situation may take a turn for the worse if the sugar factory continues to deny employment to the land losers.
Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday, Mr. Gowda said a meeting convened by Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru on February 16 this year had directed the sugar factory to employ the land losers. Out of the 46 applicants, the sugar factory was directed to employ 14 at its factory in Alaganchi while the District Industries Centre (DIC) considers the eligibility of the remaining 32 applicants.
Though the sugar factory had moved to the court, challenging the orders issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru, the court in April this year directed that the issue be resolved under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, said Mr. Gowda.
The District Labour Commissioner convened a meeting on May 2 as per the Industrial Disputes Act and upheld the directions issued by the Deputy Commissioner at its February 16 meeting to employ the families of the eligible land losers. Directions in this regard had been issued to the sugar factory also, Mr. Gowda said.
He warned that the situation may take a turn for the worse if the patience of the family members of the farmers, who are staging a dharna for the last 91 days, is tested over the continued refusal of the sugar factory to adhere to the government directions and provide employment to the families of the land loser farmers.
