Karnataka - Bijapur   

Pattanashetti warns of action against sugar factories

Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR: Minister for Textiles Appasaheb Pattanashetti, who is in charge of the district, has said that stringent action will be initiated against the managements of "erring" sugar factories in the region which were not complying with a Government order directing them to purchase surplus sugarcane from farmers in the district.

Mr. Pattanashetti told presspersons here on Tuesday that the Government had ordered 10 sugar factories to purchase the more than 10 lakh tonnes of surplus sugarcane in the region. The factories, which were to have commenced the purchasing process on March 26, had not done so, he said.

However, seven of these factories had promised that they would begin purchasing sugarcane from April 15, he said. The other factories, including Jem Sugars Ltd. in Bagalkot district, Ugar Sugars Ltd. in Belgaum district and Renuka Sugars Ltd. in Gulburga district were not cooperating. The officials had been asked to file a report on the matter.

The Minister also appealed to Opposition Leader in the Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat Panchappa Kalburgi, who has threatened to launch a fast-unto-death agitation along with a few other zilla panchayat members from Thursday on the sugarcane issue, to drop the plan as the Government was making honest efforts to ensure crushing of surplus sugarcane in the district.

Mr. Kalburgi later told presspersons they had decided to postpone the agitation to April 18 following the Minister's promise.

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