Mangalore:The deputy chief mnister of the state Eeshwarappa has said that the govt. should announce a special package to the areca planters afftected by the desease of rottening of the tender areca.
He was speaking in the pressmeet held in the Hotel Saffron, in the city.
He said that due to the excessive rain the desease of rottening of the tender areca has spread like an epidemic desease in the 5 districts of Karnataka.
He demanded a minimum compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre of land. Areca growers were incurring loss upto Rs 75 per kg. He also urged CM Siddaramiah to undertake a detailed study of problems of areca growers and the losses suffered by them.
He also warned that the BJP would take to the streets for the cause of areca growers if the government failed to respond to the demand by September 5.
Former CM DV Sadananda Gowda said that the proposal seeking compensation will be forwarded to the Union Government through CM Siddaramaiah. The Union Government will certainly announce compensation if the state government reciprocates in the right manner, he said.
He said the Yellow Leaf disease has affected the areca crops like a tsunami and urge the government to respond to the problems of the growers and win their trust.
B Nagaraj Shetty, convener of Dakshina Kannada district BJP election campaign committee, MP Nalin Kumar Katee and Sulochana G K Bhat were present at the press meet.