PONDA: A tense situation prevailed at Dharbandora on Monday after angry sugarcane farmers blocked the national highway, to protest against the closure of Sanjivani sugar factory for the last four years.
The highway was blocked at Dharbandora for 40 minutes. The farmers demanded a concrete decision on the future of the Sanjivani factory following which Police and Dharbandora Deputy Collector Nilesh Diagodkar reached the spot and tried to pacify farmers stating that a solution would be found after discussing with government.
However, farmers demanded an immediate decision on the issue and not to give excuses and vague promises.
As they were in no mood to listen, Collem Police arrested 210 protesting farmers along with Sanjivani Sugar Factory Farmers Association President Rajendra Desai. They were later released Monday evening.
The farmers main demand was government should inform them when exactly it would start production of ethanol or sugar in the factory. Their and second demand is they should be given their compensatory arrears amount on time.
Sanjivani Sugar Factory Farmers Association President Rajendra Desai had demanded that the government should discuss the issue and inform about its decision to the farmers on the future of Sanjivani by 3 pm Monday. But after no one from government came to discuss their issue farmers resorted to road blockade.
He said the sugar cane production is the only source of livelihood of the farmers. The Government closed the crushing season in 2019 -20 citing losses and promised to restart the sanjivani as an ethanol plant. But since the past four year there is no sign of starting the ethanol plant. This forced the farmers to come onto the streets.