PONDA: Sugarcane farmers have threatened to re-launch an intense agitation if the Sanjeevani Sugar Factory does not start the crushing season on December 5, as promised by South Goa MP Adv Narendra Savoikar and Registrar of Co-operative Societies Sanjeev Gadkar.
On November 26, the farmers called off their agitation over the delay in starting the crushing season, after Savoikar and Gadkar gave them a written assurance that the crushing season would begin on December 5.
However, since then, the farmers say, they have not seen any movement for starting the crushing season on December 5. And fearing massive financial loss, if the crushing season does not start on December 5, the farmers have threatened to launch an intensive agitation after the promised date.
Saneevani Farmers Association President Rajendra Desai has warned that the farmers would re-launch their agitation if the promise is not honoured by December 5 by beginning the crushing season.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that Sanjeevani Sugar Factory Administrator and Union AYUSH Minister Shreepad Naik had met Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB) officials at Delhi, seeking relaxation on installing continuous monitoring system.
However, the CPCB officials reportedly declined to give relaxation on installing continuous monitoring system or revoke the closure notice. The CPCB Officials are expected to inspect the pollution control system at later stage.
It is further learnt that the Sugar Factory officials are trying to install the continuous monitoring system and have also contacted some companies and received quotation for it.
It is also learnt that the procedure to get government approval for selecting companies for installing the continuous monitoring system would take a week time. Thereafter, it would take five days for installing the pollution monitoring system.
Thus, the farmers fear that it would take fifteen more days to commence the crushing season and by then they fear that the sugarcane would lose weight.
However, sources at factory said they are trying to commence the crushing season as assured to the farmers by December 5.
