Scores of farmers took to the streets and blocked a road in Dharwad on Tuesday in protest against the State government’s reported move to privatise power supply and also, seeking the fulfilment of various pending demands.

The farmers under the aegis of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene took out a protest march from Kadapa Maidan to Jubilee Circle where they formed a human chain and blocked the junction for some time to register their protest.

A few farmers lashed the road with a whip (barukolu) as a mark of protest.

The farmers are upset that the State government has allowed the application of Tata Power Company Limited for parallel power distribution licence which, they say, will ultimately lead to privatisation of power supply.

Leading the protest, district president of the Raita Sangha Rarooq Killedar, vice-president Maruti Sunkad said that awarding parallel power distribution licence will ultimately lead to privatisation of the power sector.

They said that once privatised, free power supply for irrigation pumpsets and other benefits being extended to farmers will come to an end and urged the State government to continue with the existing system.

The farmers then submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the officials of the district administration.

In the memorandum, they have demanded inclusion of maize, green gram, red gram and mango plantation under the ambit of crop insurance. They have also demanded declaration of the year as a “drought year” as rainfall has reduced.

The farmers also sought intervention of the State government to stop harassment of farmers by bank officials and agents of micro finance companies.