DAVANAGERE
A meeting with farmers’ leaders and officials will be held in Bengaluru on August 18 to discuss the release of water from the Bhadra Reservoir, Minister S.S. Mallikarjun said on Saturday.
He appealed to farmers to remain patient until the meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Mallikarjun said the government would carefully study the water situation before taking a decision. He said the aim was not to harm farmers and assured them that their concerns would be considered. He also requested the Indian Farmers Union to withdraw its proposed highway blockade.
The minister said he was receiving regular information about the drought situation, even while away from the district. He added that having two ministers representing the region could help bring more funds and accelerate development in Davanagere and neighbouring Vijayanagara.
Mallikarjun also spoke about ethanol blending in petrol. He said E20 petrol could be beneficial if implemented after detailed studies. Recalling his earlier work, he said he had established an ethanol plant in 2002 using American technology. He stressed that fuel efficiency, foreign exchange savings and vehicle suitability should all be considered before increasing ethanol blending.
Indian Farmers Union president Shamanur Lingaraj said the proposed national highway blockade by farmers from the Bhadra irrigation area had been temporarily withdrawn following the minister’s request. He said farmers wanted adequate water for the monsoon crop. The union will discuss the issue with officials and irrigation experts during the August 18 meeting before deciding its next course of action.