PONDA: At a General Body meeting held near the Sanjivani Sugar Factory in Dharbandora on Sunday, sugarcane farmers expressed anger with the government’s allocation of the Sugar Factory land to establish a college without consulting them. They called for filing a petition in the High Court to reclaim the land for the farmers. Additionally, the farmers complained that they have not yet received the five-year compensation promised by the government, for the last financial year.
The State-run Sanjivani Sugar Factory has been closed since 2019, due to financial losses. The government cited high machinery repair costs exceeding the factory’s income as the reason for the closure. The farmers were promised compensation and the initiation of ethanol production, but three years have passed with no progress on the ethanol plant.
The farmers also issued a stern warning to the Goa government, demanding clarity on the promised ethanol project in the factory. If the government fails to provide a concrete assurance, the farmers threatened to take to the streets in protest, said Rajendra Desai, President of the Farmers Association, adding that they are also prepared to approach the High Court on the matter.
They expressed anxiety over the future of sugarcane cultivation without the establishment of the ethanol plant. While the farmers welcome the idea of ethanol production, they slammed the delays in setting up the plant.
During the meeting, the farmers also demanded the removal of Adv. Narendra Sawaikar from the Farmers Facilitation Committee. They criticised Sawaikar, who belongs to the BJP and chairs the committee, for not taking decisive actions to secure the farmers’ future.