Team Herald
PORVORIM: Upset over Gujarat-based Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited (SUMUL) refusal to purchase milk around 4,500 litres, a group of angry farmers on Monday emptied hundreds of litres of milk along the road near the Goa Assembly.
The farmers said they had brought cans full of milk as gift to each minister for free during the ongoing Monsoon Session but to their dismay were stopped by policemen.
“The BJP government is responsible for this act of ours. In deed with heavy hearts we had to pour this milk on the road. It was difficult for the farmers do to such a thing but it had to be done as a mark of protest. The officials of SUMUL conducted litmus paper test on the milk to declare it to be unfit for purchase. He said a proper laboratory test should have been conducted. They told us to throw our milk out and they are not bothered about us,” said Meghashyam Raut, who led the farmers to the assembly complex at Porvorim.
“Shame on the government that some from Gujarat are coming here, dictating terms to Goan farmers. We will not allow outsiders to come here and rule over us. We are ready to sit in the lock-up but we will not let them disrespect us,” Raut said.
The farmers threatened to intensify their agitation if SUMUL continues to harass them. Raut stated that SUMUL was introduced in the State when Manohar Parrikar was the chief minister with an assurance that farmers will get a better rate for their milk.
“SUMUL officials are claiming that they have been not getting cooperation from the government. The union has also withheld bonus of the farmers, which was promised to them for the last six months. The dairy farmers are having a tough time and facing hardship due to the increase in the prices of fodder for the cattle. If this situation continues then the dairy industry in the State will be in deep trouble,” Raut warned.
