PERNEM: Sugarcane plantation spread over 40,000 sq mts at Sukekolan, Dhargal was gutted in fire causing lakhs of rupees loss to the famers.
The farmers alleged that the plantation was purposely set on fire to clear the way for proposed highway to the Mopa Airport.
Prakash Palyekar, a farmer claimed, “This plantation was purposely set on fire to clear the way for the proposed highway to Mopa Airport from Dhargal. We have already given land for the Sport City thinking that it will develop the taluka but not anymore. We are not going to give more land for any project. Also the government will have to compensate us for this loss.”
The famers claimed that around 12 farmers’ plantation is gutted in fire and each farmer has suffered a loss of atleast Rs 40,000.
The famers alleged that to clear the land for the highway, the plantation was set on fire in the absence of the farmers. They informed that on Tuesday they were supposed to attend a hearing on the proposed highway issue.
They also warned the local MLA that he will have to face the problem for doing injustice to the farmers by purposely setting the sugarcane plantation on fire.
