PONDA: After staging several agitations to restart the operations of Sanjivani sugar factory, the sugarcane farmers, who are worried over the future and cane production activities, have now threatened to approach the High Court if the government fails to clear its stand on the factory's future within 15 days.
It is pertinent to note that the factory was shut due to high cost of operation on account of repairs of the old machinery, but were promised by the government that the factory would restart operations in next few years with alternative production such as ethanol but in vain.
The farmers have alleged that the delaying tactics of the government in declaring its policy on the factory’s future even after four years of stopping sugar cane crushing seasons, has left them worried.
At a meeting held in sugar factory premises at Dharbandora, the sugarcane farmers threatened to approach court and have served a 15-day deadline on the government to clear its stand on the factory’s future.
The farmers claimed that the government has kept them in the dark and added that they are fed up with the empty promises of the government to restart the factory.
They accused the government of failing to meet their demand to resume factory operations.
All Goa Sugarcane Farmers’ Association president, Rajendra Dessai, said, “We will give the government 15 days to reply, failing which, we will decide their future course of action. Before going to court, we will serve a legal notice to the government seeking its reply.”
It has been four years since the sugar factory shut down operations, and the government each time promised to restart operations, but has failed to clear its stance on the issue.
As per the government scheme, this is the last year sugarcane farmers will get compensation from the government for their crops.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had earlier assured them that an ethanol plant would be set up to replace the sugar factory, however nothing happened so far.
Dessai said, “A private contractor was ready to set up an ethanol plant at the factory with a rent of Rs one crore and this proposal was submitted last year to the Chief Minister, however the government failed to reply.”
He said that this indicates that the government is not serious on restarting the factory and that the farmers have decided to launch a legal battle, by sending notices to the government.