Kalaburagi: Members of the Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha (KPRS) on Wednesday stopped traffic at the Sannur toll plaza in Kalaburagi district, protesting against toll fees being collected from vehicles transporting sugarcane to factories, reports The Hindu.
The organisation submitted a memorandum to senior officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department, urging them to immediately exempt all tractors and lorries carrying sugarcane from toll charges on both State and national highways.
According to the representation, sugarcane growers have been pushed into hardship after consecutive crop losses caused by unseasonal rains. Farmers dependent on cane cultivation are already facing problems such as low recovery, unfair weight deductions and inadequate prices. At a time when growers are under financial stress, collecting toll from vehicles carrying their produce is unfair, KPRS leaders said.
KPRS district president Sharanabasappa Mamshetty said during the protest that toll booths, including the Sannur plaza, “are working against farmers by taking money from cane-loaded vehicles going to sugar factories.” He said toll operators must stop collecting fees from such vehicles and the government should issue a formal order granting exemption. He also sought an inquiry into the functioning of the Sannur toll plaza and action over “problems such as FASTag clearance taking much longer than the required 10 seconds.” He warned that if officials fail to act, the organisation would intensify its agitation and launch a larger movement to shut down toll plazas across the district.
The protesting farmers also criticised the recent nationwide toll hike of 4–5% that came into effect on Tuesday. Farmer leader Veeranna Gangani said the increase “has made life harder for ordinary people, especially during the holiday season when families travel for festivals, weddings and vacations. Raising charges at such a time shows the Centre is not considering the difficulties faced by the public.”
KPRS members said rising prices, higher fuel costs and what they call the Union government’s pro-corporate approach have worsened the situation for common people. They added that on issues affecting daily life, both the BJP and the Congress “behave in the same way”, pointing to similar decisions on fuel and toll policies.
The district committee said it plans to intensify its protests against policies that place additional burdens on farmers and the middle class.
