Sugarcane growers demand dues

BELAGAVI: Farmers under the banner of

Bharatiya Krishik Samaj

staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here demanding that

Soubhagya Laxmi Sugar factory

,

Hirenandi

, owned by district minister

Ramesh Jarkiholi

pay up

sugarcane dues

pending since four years.

The protesters alleged that the factory was cheating farmers from a couple of years by not paying for the cane supplied by them. “Although the management has started paying two-year old bills in installments, it is paying farmers selectively. We had informed the district authority in this regard but still no measures have been taken. Similarly some factories have not paid the dividend to shareholders from past many years. Such factories should be identified and measures should to be taken to ensure dividend is paid,” they said.

Stating that

Markandeya Sugar Factory

had not started functioning even though 25 years have passed since funds were collected from farmers, they protesters said the authorities must take measures to ensure the factory refunds the farmers’ share amount along with interest.