BELGAUM: Sugarcane growers coming under the registered circles of Sri Bhagyalaxmi Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane Niyamit (SBSSKN), Khanapur, claim to be facing problems of alleged "bad management" and "continued neglect" by the State Government.

These two problems coupled with the alleged irresponsible attitude of the factory administration here were discussed at a meeting of growers at Kannada Sahitya Bhavan here on Tuesday. The meeting, attended by growers from registered areas of Khanapur and Bagewadi Legislative Assembly constituencies, was presided over by Abhay Kumar Patil, MLA. Managing Director of the factory R.S. Huli was also present. The meeting was convened to discuss ways by which pressure could be exerted on the factory management to address their grievances, as their previous pleas, they say, have fallen on deaf ears. At the meeting, the farmers, who were encouraged to speak out on their problems without any fear or hesitation, began listing out instances of how the bad management of sugarcane-lifting operations was affecting their crops. They alleged that the management was operating two trucks under a single permit, which was resulting in favouritism, as only a few influential growers were being benefited while the rest were being forced to wait for several days before the management got their sugarcane lifted. The farmers said the management also engaged private trucks, whose operators were exploiting them. They said that a delay of even twelve hours resulted in a reduction of the sugar that could be got from sugarcane, which, therefore, affected sugar production and ultimately the final amount to be paid to the growers.

The farmers later told presspersons that a substantial quantity of sugarcane was being lifted by Malaprabha Sahakara Sakkare Karkhane Niyamit (MSSKN) in M.K. Hubli, which comes under the Kittur Legislative Assembly constituency.

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