PONDA: Claiming that there was a major scam in the sale of molasses produced at the Sanjivani Sugar Factory, the president of the Sanjivani Sugarcane Farmers Association Rajendra Dessai called for an inquiry into the matter.
Suspecting that there is something amiss with the low quotation of Rs 2,550 per tonne compared to the prevailing market rate of Rs 7,000, Dessai called for the sale deed to be scrapped until the inquiry is completed.
It may be recalled that last year, there was a sugar related scam. The manufacturing-in-charge and account in-charge had been suspended in connection with the sugar scam for selling sugar at lower rates.
Against that backdrop, Dessai pointed out that there are around 1,088 tonnes of molasses stock at the sugar factory. He added that Goa Dairy is one of the purchasers of molasses and that during the past couple of years; they had purchased molasses at the rate of Rs 8,000 to 9,000 per tonne. He said Goa Dairy uses it for their cattle feed production. Dessai added that this year also Goa Dairy had sent a letter to the Sanjivani Sugar factory stating that they are willing to buy 500 metric tonnes of molasses. Dessai questioned why the factory had decided to sell it to a bidder quoting the lowest rate of Rs 2,550 per tonne instead of a regular client like Goa Dairy.
The farmers association demanded that the molasses be sold to Goa Dairy in order to receive greater revenue.
The association further pointed out that if the molasses had been sold at the proper rates to clients like Goa Dairy, then the money they would get from that sale could have utilised to clear the two-month salaries of workers. Repeated efforts to contact the administrator of the sugar factory proved to be futile.
