SANGUEM
Irked over the government’s failure to work out a concrete solution on the Sanjivani Sugar Factory and the operation of an Ethanol Plant at the Sanjivani Sugar Factory, hundreds of sugarcane farmers along with their families went to the Sanjivani Sugar Factory on Monday and later marched to the highway, causing a road blockade.
Immediately after getting information of the agitation, Dharbandora Deputy Collector Nilesh Daigodkar rushed to the spot and directed the police to detain the agitating farmers.
The farmers were subsequently taken to Collem police station and kept under detention till late in the evening.
However, when police authorities directed the agitating farmers to go home in the evening, the farmers refused to go home till the time they got a clear assurance from the government.
It was only after the delegation of the farmers was summoned by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for a late-night meeting in Panaji that the agitators dispersed from the Collem Police Station.
Francisco Mascarenhas (Ayetin) informed that the agitation on Monday was on account of the failure of the government to honour the assurances given to sugarcane farmers three years back.
“At the time of closure of the Sanjivani Sugar Factory, the government had assured the sugarcane farmers that the government would either install new machinery at the Sanjivani Sugarcane Factory or operate an Ethanol Plant so that the Sugarcane growers could continue with the crop production and earn their livelihood,” said Mascarenhas.
“However, the government failed to adhere to the assurance given to the farmers, thereby compelling farmers to resort to an agitation.”
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar later visited the agitating farmers at Collem Police Station and decried the failure of the government to consider the demands of the sugarcane farmers.
“The government is literally out to wipe out farming activities in the State. The government by delaying in fulfilment of the promise given to farmers is only waiting to see that the farmers get disappointed and leave the farming activities once and for all,” said Patkar.
Another farmer Harshad Prabhudessai appealed to the government to come out with a concrete decision as the farmers are left in a dilemma over the failure of the government either to restart the factory or set up an Ethanol Plant.
Immediately after getting information of the agitation, Dharbandora Deputy Collector Nilesh Daigodkar rushed to the spot and directed the police to detain the agitating farmers.
The farmers were subsequently taken to Collem police station and kept under detention till late in the evening.
However, when police authorities directed the agitating farmers to go home in the evening, the farmers refused to go home till the time they got a clear assurance from the government.
It was only after the delegation of the farmers was summoned by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for a late-night meeting in Panaji that the agitators dispersed from the Collem Police Station.
Francisco Mascarenhas (Ayetin) informed that the agitation on Monday was on account of the failure of the government to honour the assurances given to sugarcane farmers three years back.
“At the time of closure of the Sanjivani Sugar Factory, the government had assured the sugarcane farmers that the government would either install new machinery at the Sanjivani Sugarcane Factory or operate an Ethanol Plant so that the Sugarcane growers could continue with the crop production and earn their livelihood,” said Mascarenhas.
“However, the government failed to adhere to the assurance given to the farmers, thereby compelling farmers to resort to an agitation.”
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar later visited the agitating farmers at Collem Police Station and decried the failure of the government to consider the demands of the sugarcane farmers.
“The government is literally out to wipe out farming activities in the State. The government by delaying in fulfilment of the promise given to farmers is only waiting to see that the farmers get disappointed and leave the farming activities once and for all,” said Patkar.
Another farmer Harshad Prabhudessai appealed to the government to come out with a concrete decision as the farmers are left in a dilemma over the failure of the government either to restart the factory or set up an Ethanol Plant.
