Poor quality sprinklers: Farmers to file PIL in HC

Vijayapura: Akhanda Karnataka Raitha Sangha (AKRS) has decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) in Karnataka high court against companies supplying sprinklers and pipes under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). AKRS general secretary Arvind Kulkarni told reporters here that the companies that have bagged the contract to supply sprinklers and pipes under PMKSY supply them at concessional price to the farmers.
“The sprinklers supplied by the companies that have bagged the contract are of poor quality and do not last long,” said Arvind, adding that the complaints by AKRS to Karnataka Lokayukta and state agriculture department yielded no results. “The farmers had staged a protest demonstration in front of DC’s office with the sprinklers in July last year. The DC had sent them to the lab for quality checking and had assured of supplying good quality sprinklers. Some other companies were asked to supply the sprinklers but they also proved to be of poor quality. With no option left, we have decided to file a PIL in the high court,” Arvind said.
He said the farmers who avail the benefit of such schemes will not be eligible for the benefit for the next seven years. “The materials supplied to the farmers do not last for seven years due to their poor quality and the farmers will be compelled to buy them from the open market for a higher price. This defeats the very purpose of launching such schemes,” he said.