Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Aland sugarcane growers block highway

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA, APRIL 11. Vehicular traffic on Waghdhari-Ripponpalli highway, connecting Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, remained disrupted for more than eight hours on Monday when farmers blocked the road demanding payment of dues for sugarcane supplied to the Aland Cooperative Sugar Factory in 1999-00 and 2001-02 on the outskirts of Aland in Gulbarga district.

Farmers, who had decided to court arrest, began the blockade around 11 a.m. The police did not arrest them till evening when the highway got clogged with vehicles. Although the police diverted vehicles via Kadaganchi and Aland, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the highway.

The Deputy Commissioner, Anjum Parvez, who was in Shahapur holding talks with farmers of the Upper Krishna Project command areas, told The Hindu that he will hold talks with the protesters in Aland. S.K. Kanta, former minister, is leading the agitation near Aland.

DC draws flak

Farmers allege that the Deputy Commissioner, who is the Special Officer of the Aland Cooperative Sugar Factory, is coming in the way of clearing the dues by raising objections on technical grounds. Farmers claim is that despite the sugar recovery certificate being issued for 2001-02, the excess payment has not been released for technical reasons.

According to Mr. Parvez, the factory fixed a price of Rs. 950 per tonne in 2001-02, which was Rs. 40 more than the price fixed by the Bidar Sahakari Sakkare Kharkhane.

The factory had paid the dues at the rate of Rs. 850 a tonne and the dispute was over the remaining Rs 100.

The contention of the Deputy Commissioner is that the factory is ready to pay the balance due at the rate of Rs. 60 per tonne and on clearing the remaining Rs. 40, the State Government has to take the decision.

Farmers claimed that once the sugar recovery certificate is issued, the factory has to clear the dues.

Mr. Parvez said the factory will have to pay Rs. 60 lakhs at the rate of Rs 60 per tonne to farmers and if the government decides to clear the entire sum, then the bill will shoot up to Rs. 140 lakhs.

About the dues of farmers for 1999-00, the official said the factory is operated for six months from January to June. While the sugar recovery is more than 8 per cent for January, February and March, the recovery percentage fell to less than 6 per cent in April to June.

He said the factory is ready to pay the dues of farmers (Rs. 150 per tonne) for January to March. As for the sugarcane supplied between April and June, the Government has to take a decision.

Mr. Parvez said he had held discussions in this regard with the Director of the Sugar to find a solution.

The Director of Sugar has decided to visit Gulbarga on April 16 to hold discussions with farmers and their representatives and find a solution to the problem.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Aland sugarcane growers block highway
Release of water ruled out

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu