Team Herald
SANGUEM: Sugarcane farmers from Sanguem and other talukas on Saturday organised dharna in front of the Office of Sanguem Deputy Collector demanding for a written assurance from the government over the payment of compensation to the standing crop for the sugarcane cultivators till the time Sanjivani Sugar Factory is made operational.
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The other demands made by the protestors include payment of compensation by end of February every year and the basis for calculating the compensation shall be the highest average of the sugarcane supplied by individual farmer in the last 10 years.
The agitators made it aptly cleared that they will not bulge to any oral assurance from any authorities and will continue the agitation till the time the government puts the acceptance of demands in writing.
Incidentally, even efforts by Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakamt Kavlekar to convince the farmers to withdraw their agitation failed. The Deputy Chief Minister, who appeared at the dharna soon after the agitators had begun their protest, informed the agitators of amicable discussion over the matter on Tuesday with the Chief Minister.
He also informed the agitating farmers of agitation being no solution for the issue.
However, the farmers were in no mood to listen to the Deputy Chief Minister and informed him that the agitation will be withdrawn only after they get a written assurance from the government.
Chairman of Uus Utpadak Sangharsh Samiti Kushta Gaonkar urged the Deputy Chief Minister not to plead with the farmers to withdraw the agitation as they have heard enough stories from the government over the past many months.
Gaonkar informed the Deputy Chief Minister that they had given the memorandum to the government over the planned agitation on December 23, giving the government 10 days time to decide on the issue. However, the government did not care for the memorandum ultimately making the farmers take the ultimate decision.
Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar who supported the agitation urged the government not to play with the sentiments of the farmers who toil hard in the hot sun and rains for agricultural production.
“It is an irony that the government fails to consider the efforts put in by the farmers in their farms,” added Gaonkar.
Vice Chairperson of Samiti Chandan Unandkar claimed that the ‘Shetkari Sanghatna’ on whom the sugarcane cultivators kept their faith has now become the mouthpiece of the government and this compelled the sugarcane cultivators to form alternative committee to press for their demands.
