have decided to begin an indefinite relay hunger strike at Azad Maidan, here, from Thursday. The government’s failure to meet their demand regarding the price issue has provoked them to take this step.
The GUUS supplies sugarcane to the government-run Sanjeevani Sugar Factory.
According to GUUS sources, their demand was to hike the rate for sugarcane supply to Sanjeevani Factory from Rs 2500 to Rs 3600 per tonne which is pending for the past two years. The sources alleged that instead hiking the amount of schemes like Ladli Laxmi, Griha Aadhar and other social benefits schemes, the government should have hiked the price of sugarcane for the farmers who are working hard for the survival of Sanjivani factory.
They held a meeting today with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and reminded him of the government’s promise earlier and also by the CM during the recent sugarcane crushing season to provide relief by way of hiking sugarcane prices, however the chief minister reportedly told them that their demand would be taken up only during next budget.
Before meeting the chief minister on Tuesday, at Panjim, the GUUS office bearers led by its President Rajendra Desai held a meeting at Dharbandora with the Sanjivani Sugar Factory MD Prasad Parab. In the meeting, the members reminded him about assurance given to them in the last general body meeting, by him.
GUUS called this urgent meeting as they learnt that the Agricultural Department had put a remark on their file to hike the price rise from Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 at the next budget.
According to Desai, since the past two years they are demanding a hike in rates for the sugarcane supply to Sanjivani factory. The farmers also complained that the payments are often delayed by the sugar factory. They said the government should pay their Bill amount directly instead of separate payment by government and sugar factory which often gets delayed. They said their bill amount of Rs 2500 per tonne sugarcane is paid by way of Rs 1200 by the sugar factory and Rs 1300 by the government terming this as subsidy and that too after delay. Rs 1300 cannot be called as subsidy and not a favour by the government but a actual price for sugarcane supply.
