KPRS Urges Govt To Retain Research Centre Land In Kalaburagi
KPRS district president Sharanabasappa Mamashetty submitted the representation to the CM and Kharge through the Deputy Commissioner.
Kalaburagi: The Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha (KPRS) has opposed the proposed transfer of 12 acres of fertile land belonging to the Agricultural Research Centre in Kalaburagi for construction of an Azim Premji Foundation hospital.
In a representation to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge, the farmers’ organisation said the land in Survey No 56 at Shek Roza village should not be diverted from the research centre, which it described as crucial to thousands of tur growers in Kalaburagi and the surrounding areas.
KPRS district president Sharanabasappa Mamashetty submitted the representation to the CM and Kharge through the Deputy Commissioner.
Kalaburagi is known as the “tur granary” of the country, with tur being one of the main crops determining the district’s farm economy. The letter stated that the farmers were already struggling with drought, floods, fluctuating yields and inadequate prices, and that weakening agricultural research infrastructure would add to their problems.
“The research centre had about 134 acres and had been carrying out research on tur diseases, new varieties and other crops for more than five decades. The centre, established in 1974, was the result of efforts by political leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, who was then the Home Minister,” he said.
According to the letter, the centre has so far developed and released 11 tur varieties. It specifically cited TS 3R and GRG-811, which it said were being cultivated by farmers in different parts of the country.
The centre has also been involved in research on chickpea, safflower and jowar.
“An All-India Coordinated Research Project on tur was established there in 1981, followed by a Krishi Vigyan Kendra in 1999, an AICRP on chickpea in 2001 and an agricultural college in 2010,” the representation stated.
The KPRS said the proposed transfer of 12 acres would reduce the land available for agricultural research and sought its immediate withdrawal.
“Farmers have no objection to the proposed hospital coming up in Kalaburagi, provided the government identifies and purchases alternative land for the project,” it added.