Sanguem
Given the failure of the government to come out with a clear decision on the future of Sanjivani Sugar Factory, the farmers from Sanguem and other regions have threatened to go on agitation from September 29.
A final call on this count will, however, be taken at a follow-up meeting to be held at Sanguem on September 24.
The meeting held on Sunday at Wadem Colony No 1 at Ganeshotsav Mandal was called by Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar and was attended by over 200 farmers.
The farmers present at the meeting unanimously decided to oppose any move by the government to close down the Sanjivani Sugar Factory, the soul of sugarcane cultivators from Goa. The farmers will be left in the lurch if the government decides to bring down the curtains on the factory, claimed the speakers at the meeting.
It is ironic that despite many representations from the sugarcane cultivators, the government has failed to come out openly on its decision on Sanjivani Sugar Factory till date, which is agonising to the farmers.
The farmers present at the meeting called on Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar to take over the responsibility of managing the affairs of Sanjivani Sugar Factory which has been running into losses for last several years. The farmers claimed that the factory was doing fairly well in the initial years of its installation but started running into losses since the management was handed over to the corporation.
It is basically due to the Chairperson and others associated with the corporation that the factory continued to run into losses. The government, however, has failed to initiate an inquiry against those responsible for the present mess of the factory and losses should be recovered from them, claimed the speakers at the meeting.
Sanguem MLA assured the farmers of being with them at all times and also to take over the responsibility of managing the affairs at the factory in the interest of the farming community if the government entrust the responsibility to him.
If entrusted with the responsibility of Sanjivani Sugar Factory to Gaonkar, farmers assured to increase the sugarcane cultivation in the State from 35,000 to 1,00,000 tonne within a span of three years.
The farmers, however, claimed the closure of Sanjivani Sugar Factory to be no answer for the present imbroglio which has been haunting the sugarcane farmers for the last two years.
The operation of the factory is important to keep sugarcane farming alive in Goa, claimed Chandan Unandkar.
Member of Shetkari Sanghatna Francisco Mascarenhas opined the need for keeping the factory alive in the best interest of the farming community as it is not feasible to transport the sugarcane produce from Goa to Laila Factory at Khanapur every season.
With next crop season due in November, farmers called on the government to come out with a decision on the issue concerning sugarcane farmers and the Sanjivani Sugar Factory at the earliest.
Among those who spoke at the meeting were Deputy Sarpanch of Wadem, Kushta Gaonkar, Dashrath Gaonkar, Josephine Fernandes, Sarpanch Collem Manish Lambor, Dayanand Dessai and Sebastiao Simoes.
