PONDA: The fast unto death agitation by two Goa Dairy farmers namely Anup Priolkar and Sanjeev Cuncolienkar entered its second day with many others joining them on Wednesday morning.
“Goa Dairy is ready to hike milk rate by Re 1 and we are ready to wait till one month for hike in the purchase price of milk. However, the Board should fulfil our demand to remove “tainted” MD immediately or else we will continue with our agitation,” Anup warned. Ponda Deputy Collector Kedar Naik held the meeting with the agitating farmers and Goa Dairy MD Navso Sawanth to discuss the demands.
Sawanth said, “Rs 5 hike is not feasible but Goa Dairy can consider a hike of Re 1. I will put forth this proposal at the Board meeting and get the same approved. But it will take a month.” Anup said he is ready to wait for a month but demanded that the MD be removed immediately.
Disclosing the details of the meeting to the media, Anup said the hike in milk rate and the demand to remove the “tainted” MD would be taken at the board meeting. Anup and other farmers blamed Goa Dairy Board for granting service extension to MD despite the official was suspended over mismanagement in the dairy affairs. He alleged that the sole intention of granting extension to the MD is to misuse the Rs 8 crore sanctioned to Goa Dairy by National Dairy Development Board.
“We want this money to be used for the development of Goa Dairy and its farmers. We don’t want the MD, who is responsible for dairy’s losses. The dairy has received 32 applications but selection process has been delayed,” he charged.
