Karnataka - Bijapur   

Tension at sugar factory meeting

Staff Correspondent

Farmer's remark leads to trouble; police resort to a mild lathi-charge

BIJAPUR: Tension prevailed at a meeting of promoters, shareholders and sugarcane growers held on the premises of Jnanayogi Shivakumar Sugars Ltd. at Hirebevanur village in Indi taluk on Saturday when they traded charges against each other over mismanagement.

Clash averted

Timely intervention by the police averted a major clash between members of rival groups. The police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to restore order. The meeting that was called by the dissident faction headed by one of the founder directors of the factory and Basavanabagewadi MLA Shivanand Patil.

Challenge

In a way, the meeting was a challenge to the governing body (board of directors) headed Bijapur MP Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal.

The participants decided to call another meeting within 15 days to which all directors, promoters, shareholders, and sugarcane growers will be invited.

Elections

The proposed meeting will take a decision on the elections to the governing body and distribution of share certificates to promoters.

Vithal Katakdond and Ashok Biradar, founder directors who have now been removed from the governing body, and Mr. Shivanand Patil told farmers the reason that forced them to call the special meeting.

The factory was not being run properly, they said.

There were financial irregularities, they said.

Promoters, mostly sugarcane growers, were allowed to speak, and a remark by a farmer annoyed Joint Managing Director B.S. Patil, a close associate of Mr. Yatnal.

Trouble

This led to the trouble. At this juncture, members associated with the rival group rushed to the podium and clashed.

However, the police resorted to a mild lathi-charge and brought the situation under control.

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

Stories in this Section

Tension at sugar factory meeting

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu