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Sugar minister pays a surprise visit to Malaprabha Sugar Factory in Belagavi
Pic: Minister Shivanand Patil hears grievances at Malaprabha Cooperative Sugar Factory on Saturday evening
Belagavi: Sugar minister Shivanand Patil went on a surprise visit to the Malaprabha Sugar Factory at MK Hubli on Saturday evening.
He received a barrage of complaints from farmer leaders, workers, as well as the management board.
In the wake of complaints received about the Malaprabha Cooperative Sugar Factory, minister Patil visited to the factory on Saturday evening. He experienced a shower of mutual complaints from farmer leaders, workers, and the management board about the poor condition of the factory.
The farmers' association leaders complained that the money for supplying sugarcane to the sugarcane growers was due.
They said the factory suffered losses due to the corruption of the management board. Some members of the management board had resorted to looting, resulting in crores of rupees being lost, they accused.
The chairman of the board of directors explained to the minister that the reason for the loss of the factory was the competition of sugar factories in the district and the conflict between the farmer leaders.
Anand Huchagoudar, a leader of the farmers' association, said that the factory's poor condition was due to the shortcomings of the previous and the current board of directors.
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"The boards of directors showed low sugar yield. They illegally stocked a large amount of sugar and misused it. We detected this irregularity and complained to the deputy commissioner.A complaint was filed with the Lokayukta along with documents regarding the irregularities.
We also gave the records of the telephone conversations of those involved in the irregularity to the Lokayukta. Even though the govt appointed an officer for the post of managing director, the board of directors did not allow him to take charge and appointed whoever they wanted," he said.
Basavaraj, the chairman of the board of directors, said that the increase in the number of sugar factories in the district is also one of the reasons for the loss. The required amount of sugarcane is not coming to the factory. There is also a non-cooperative attitude of the farmers' association leaders, he said.
The factory suffered losses due to the mismanagement of those in power, explained farmer leader Basavaraj Mokashi.
Farmers demanded to dismiss the management board immediately; investigate the irregularities and recover the money; avoid the looting that going on even though the factory at a loss; run the factory with assistance from the govt and appoint a govt official for the post of MD.
Officials explained to the minister that the factory took a total of Rs 135 crore from various banks and financial institutions. The loan, including interest, amounts to Rs 160 crore.
