JD(S) State President and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the Central and the State Governments had failed to address problems of coffee, sugarcane and paddy growers in Kodagu districts as the minimum support price announced by the Government was less that the market price.
Speaking to media persons here yesterday, Kumaraswamy who said that Kodagu District Minister M.R. Seetharam had failed to tackle drought and elephant menace in the district, added that the district had seen five District Ministers in the last three years.
The former Chief Minister said, Stating that as many as 160 taluks in the State were reeling under drought, the former CM said that repeated pleas by the State to the Centre for relief aid have failed to yield desired results as the Centre had released only Rs. 450 crore and wondered whether the exchequer of the Centre was also empty.
Kumaraswamy said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Chief Secretary should consider the issue of Karnataka High Court’s circular that Ministers and MLAs cannot share dias with judges and the chief justice, seriously and resolve the row.
Stating that the elected representatives had thought that Kodagu was a place for relaxing and entertainment, Kumaraswamy said that the elected representatives had no knowledge about the problems in Kodagu and added that agriculture was declining in the region due to many issues which has also increased in the number of farmers committing suicide. Speaking about man-animal conflicts which has increased in the district, Kumaraswamy urged for a scientific solution to end the conflicts permanently.
