CHENNUR (CUDDAPAH DT.): The Cuddapah Cooperative Sugars Limited at Chennur reopened on Friday after being closed for a decade following a one-time settlement with Industrial Development Bank of India.

The Mydukur MLA, D.L. Ravindra Reddy, cut the ribbon to formally open the factory and the Proddatur MLA, N. Varadarajulu Reddy, switched on the siren marking fulfilment of the poll promise of the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. The IDBI had sealed the factory in lieu of arrears in 1995 during the TDP regime.

The Government sanctioned Rs. 4 crores to settle dues, Rs. 4 crores to modernise the factory, Rs. 3.63 crores to clear dues to financial agencies and another Rs. 40 lakhs towards power bill arrears, the Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, said at a function. Sanction of Rs. 1 crore to the District Cooperative Central Bank for disbursing loans to sugarcane growers was sought, he added.

The present cane procurement price was Rs. 1,000 per tonne, he said and assured to re-employ and protect the pay of those who had lost their jobs due to closure and protect their pay. Stating that an 11-month sugarcane crop would fetch good sugar recovery, he wanted cane grown in about 4,000 to 5,000 acres as against a present acreage of 2,000.

Machinery repairs

Machinery repairs and overhauling would be undertaken between June and September and trial crushing in December/January, he said. The factory would function in a full-fledged manner from next cane season, he said. He assured irrigation water and nine-hour power supply during daytime, as sought by farmers.

Dr. Ravindra Reddy said the factory could break-even in two years if its 8,000 farmer-shareholders raised the required sugarcane.

The MLAs -- N. Varadarajulu Reddy and Md. Ahmedullah - the ZP vice-chairman, P. Ravindranath Reddy, the factory's first chairman, R. Rammurthy Reddy, the CPI district secretary, G. Obulesu, and the former MP, A Thulasi Reddy, thanked the Chief Minister for reopening the unit. The factory MD, C. Rami Reddy, sought the cooperation of farmers and factory workers.

The Chief Manager, SBI, C.V. Nagaraja Rao, assured loans to cane growers. The CPI(M) district secretary, B. Narayana, and the farmers' representatives, Maseema Rajagopala Reddy and S. Veera Reddy, also spoke.

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