Team Herald
SANGUEM: Requesting the government to chalk out plans for the survival of the Sanjivani sugar factory, sugarcane cultivators from Sanguem claimed that it not only the 900 sugarcane cultivators, who depend on the factory for their survival, but also a large number of other individuals such as tractor and truck owners, labourers, drivers, etc.
Bitterly decrying the “changing mood” of the government, the farmers, at a meeting held at Wadem-Sanguem, urged the Government to clear its stand with regards to the factory.
While some out of frustration dared the government to close the factory, but after paying just compensation to the farming community, majority of them felt that it would not be apt on the part of the government to close down the factory. They requested the government to chalk out plans for the survival of the factory.
The meet was held in view of the Administrator’s recent statement that the government was in the process of closing down the factory. Later, the government denied the statement claiming that no such decision has been taken.
Vice President of Shetkari Sanghatna Harshad Prabhudessai claimed that while on one hand the government urges the farmers to double the sugarcane cultivation, on the other hand it thinks of closing down the factory which is highly suicidal.
“Given the assurance that the factory will not be closed, many farmers in the taluka had increased sugarcane cultivation, while others had gone for fresh plantations. I had brought another seven acres of land under sugarcane cultivation,” claimed Prabhudessai.
He said, “Till date the farmers have been constantly facing the losses for no fault of theirs. the Government has even failed to pay for the sugarcane supplied to the designated factory in the last season, making the farmers bear the losses.”
Kurdi Wadem deputy sarpanch Kushta Gaonkar felt the farmers were cheated by the government with false assurances.
“With no firm decision from the government, the farmers are made to suffer huge losses,” Gaonkar claimed adding “If the Government fails to take apt decision than we will not hesitate to agitate.”
“The farmers are fully behind the Shetkari Sanghatna for the right decisions, we will not hesitate to voice our opposition against the Sanghatna if it takes any decisions which are detrimental to farming community,” Gaonkar warned.
Kurdi Wadem Vividhkari Sahakari Society chairman Francisco (Ayetin) Mascarenhas informed that the government is in the process of compensating the farmers at Rs 3600 per tonne for standing crop in addition to compensation for losses for five years. However the same is not yet finalised.
The problem of availability of labour to harvest the crop is likely to emerge in the coming season; Mascarenhas urged the government to take a decision on the factory at the earliest and at least two months before the next harvesting season.
