Bengaluru: Farmers still await reopening of Kalasipalyam and KR Markets

Bengaluru: Hundreds of farmers under the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene are still waiting for the government to reopen a couple of markets in the city and have held a protest on the issue, a farmers leader said on Tuesday.

"We are still waiting for the government to reopen KR Market and Kalasipalyam markets in the city. We took out a protest already," a Hubli-based farmer leader told IANS.

According to the farmers and farmer leaders, KR Market and Kalasipalyam markets are convenient places for farmers to bring their produce for sale, considering they are located in the heart of the city. Despite conveying this message to the government, it has suggested other alternatives such as Magadi Road and Singenahalli Agrahara which the farmers do not consider to be very conducive for business.

Because of these issues, many farmers are throwing away their vegetables and going back to their villages. The farmers are asking the government to open KR Market and Kalasipalyam market with safety measures in place as many of them are struggling to survive amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to sources, KR Market is expected to be opened before the end of August while Kalasipalyam market is expected to take some more time.