Karnataka: Tumakuru farmer sits atop tower for 2 hours demanding road

TUMAKURU: High drama prevailed at Gubbi taluk on Saturday morning after a 50-year-old farmer climbed a high-tension tower and threatened to jump if his demand for a road in front of his house is not met. He came down from the 40ft-high tower only after nearly two hours following persuasion by police and revenue officials.
Srinivas of Halegubbi in Tumakuru district has been demanding a road from his house to the main road of the village for the past several years.
Tired of making rounds to government offices and listening to "lame excuses'', a frustrated Srinivas climbed the tower of 400KV capacity which supplies power from Thalaguppa to Nelamanagala near Prabhuvanahalli gate at 9.30am.
The villagers spotted him on top of the tower and alerted police. Cops tried to persuade him but he said he'll come down only if tthe tahsildar arrived and promised to develop the road.
Srinivas and 10-15 farmers in the area have built their houses on their farmland. Since the land in front of his house belonged to a private individual, buildin a road to his house has been a challenge. "I have elderly people at home. I'm not able to take them to hospital for treatment as there is no road," Srinivas said.
He submitted several applications at the tahsildar's office and Adaguru gram panchayat in the last three decades, and accused the panchayat development officer (PDO) of exploiting poor people like him.
"When I tried to construct a house, he came and took away all the construction material," Srinivas alleged. "I have not come from Pakistan, I have been here for 50 years. For the past 30 years, I've been trying to get a road to my house. Why should I live when the government is not able to provide me basic amenities?" he asked.
Later, Gubbi taluk tahsildar B Arathi, came to the spot and promised prompt action.
"He hadn't come to me earlier. But we will send a surveyor next week to find out whether a road can be built to his house as there is private land in the front . The issue will be resolved if there is a provision for roads in the village map, else we will consult higher officers to find a solution to his problem," Arathi told STOI.