Tirupati: Farmers to step up stir for sugarcane dues

Tirupati: Farmers from Tamil Nadu on Saturday joined the protest, which has been going on here for the past six days, demanding the Sudalagunta Sugar Limited (Mayura Sugars) to pay Rs 36 dues towards the supply of sugarcane to the farmers. The sugar factory was closed three years back leaving about 3,000 farmers from Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore and Tiruthanni area (TN) farmers, who supplied sugar cane to the factory in lurch.

As several representations to authorities and various forms of protests at the sugar factory in Buchinaidu Kandriga mandal near Srikalahasti, in the last two-three years failed to get the payment, the farmers shifted their protest to Tirupati where they are protesting at the house of sugar factory chairman S Jayaram Chowdary, who has

been absconding, located on Old Renigunta Road in the city. AP Rythu Sangham (APRS) is spearheading the farmers agitation to see the SSL management pay the entire Rs 36 crore dues towards sugarcane supply payable to the farmers.

APRS State vice-president Hemalatha said that affected farmers from Nellore district will also join the protest in two days and declared that the dharna at the house of the sugar factory chairman would continue till the dues are paid to the farmers. She urged sugar factory chairman Jayaram Chowdary to voluntarily come out from his hiding and take steps to clear the dues immediately and also tender an apology to the farmers for causing hardships to them by delaying the payment for more than three years.

City Congress president and state president of Federation of Farmers Association (FFA) state president expressed his party and FFA support to the farmers fighting to get the payment for the supply of sugarcane to the SSL sugar factory.

He criticised the officials including district collectors and other concerned officials for remaining silent on the issue and demanded them to take up required steps to see the sugar factory management clear the long pending dues.

CPM district secretary V Nagaraju wondered why the police were unable to arrest Jayaram Chowdary for cheating the farmers and asserted that his party will stand with the farmers to get justice. The farmers lamented that none of the Ministers, MPs and MLAs responded to the farmers' fighting for three years to get the dues from the factory management. The leaders and farmers warned of serious consequence if the authorities failed to trace the factory chairman and take steps to see the pending dues are paid to the sugarcane farmers.