20 Sep 2019  |   05:55am IST

Govt will not close down Sanjivani sugar factory, reiterates minister

Team Herald

PONDA: Minister for Cooperation Govind Gaude reiterated on Thursday that the Sanjivani Sugar Factory would not be closed as long as he is in-charge of the same.

The minister was reacting to media reports suggesting that the Sanjivani Sugar Factory is on the verge of closure. 

A visibly angry minister asked the media persons: “When we have already clarified our stand that the factory will not be closed, why do you raise questions over Sanjivani Sugar Factory? There is no plan for its closure and it will be fully renovated and modified.  As long as I am the cooperation minister, the factory will not be closed down.”  

Accusing the opposition politicians of spreading fear among farmers that the factory would be closed down for “their selfish political motives”, Gaude slammed them for doing precious little to renovate and modernise the factory, when they were in power. 

Appealing to the employees and farmers not to fall prey to such fear mongering, he said, “We had never talked about closing down Sanjeevani, but only talked about feasibility of starting the crushing season. In this regard, we have scheduled a meeting on Saturday with farmers and employees to decide on the crushing season. We are even trying to renovate the sugar factory and making effort launch new product with the sugarcane.”

“At a high level meeting held recently at the factory premises, we assured the farmers that if we cannot start this crushing season, the government will buy the sugarcane grown by them,” he said.

“And yet, some politicians are trying to spread fear among the farmers,” he decried.  

Suggesting that this year, due to flooding, production of sugarcane would be less in Goa and Karnataka, he said, “Under such circumstances, we have to study whether the farmers would able to supply 1200 tonne of sugarcane per day. Further, as per a report Rs 5.30 crore is required for maintenance to commence the crushing season, which we think would be waste of money if farmers are not in a position to supply the required cane.”

“We are happy if farmers produce more sugarcane and hoping more sugarcane from them. But still, we will explore the possibility of starting the crushing season by discussing the issue with farmers and employees on September 21 at 10.30 am at Sugar factory premises,” the minister said.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar