Mysuru: Tension prevailed at Gudumadanahalli village in Varuna constituency Tuesday after farmers protested the construction of a Nimhans unit at the site.Farmers, who have been agitating for nearly 90 days against the allotment of cultivable land for the project, opposed the start of work early in the morning. Around 4am, authorities began groundwork using heavy earth-moving machines under tight police security. However, protesting farmers gathered at the site, stopped the work and forced the machines to be withdrawn.The protesters said the identified land is fertile and should not be used for the hospital. They demanded that the project be shifted to available govt land at Vajamangala, which they said is unfit for agricultural use. Members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, along with local farmers, led the protest and sought the project’s relocation.Following the agitation, construction work was halted. Farmers raised slogans against the state govt and chief minister Siddaramaiah, warning the authorities against proceeding with the project despite strong opposition.The protesters said farmers in Gudumadanahalli have been cultivating the land for the past 40 to 50 years and expressed anger over the district administration’s decision to use it for the hospital despite repeated appeals to consider alternative sites.They demanded that the district administration and the govt hold a formal meeting to hear their grievances and insisted that construction remain suspended until talks are held.Several farmer leaders took part in the protest, including district general secretary P Marankayya, state women’s wing general secretary Netravathi, Mysuru taluk president Anandur Prabhakar and general secretary Mandakalli Mahesh, along with other members and local farmers.
