VIZIANAGARAM: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Botcha Satyanarayana on Friday assured the agitating sugarcane farmers that the State government will clear the pending bills of NCS Sugars Ltd after selling the company assets and sugar stock under the Revenue Recovery Act. He appealed to the sugarcane farmers to be patient until completion of the auction of the company assets.
On Friday, the minister held a meeting with district officials regarding the violence that takes place during the sugarcane farmer’s protest in front of the company. A sub-inspector and a woman constable sustained severe injuries and few other personnel got minor injuries when the protesting farmers attacked police with sticks and stones on Wednesday. It may be recalled that NCS Sugars Ltd management shut down the company in March 2021 due to debts to the tune of Rs 23.98 crore including pending payments to sugarcane farmers.
District Collector A Suryakumari, Superintendent of Police Deepika M Patil, joint collector GC Kishore Kumar, Gajapathinagaram MLA Botsa Appalanarasayya and other officials were present during the review meeting.The District collector explained about NCS Sugars Ltd’s debts, pending bills to farmers and its assets. SP Deepika explained the cause of the violence during the farmers’ protest and the precautionary measures taken to control the law and order situation after the incident.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Botcha said the State government is committed to protect the interests of the farmers. “Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is giving top priority to farmers’ welfare. The State government will do justice to every agitating sugarcane farmer. Though it is a private company, we will pay the pending bills to the sugarcane farmers after selling the company assets under the revenue recovery act,” the minister said.
“Some people are trying to create violence in the name of sugarcane farmers. I appeal to the sugarcane farmers to be patient until the process is over. Don’t believe opposition party leaders who want to create violence in the peaceful district,” he added.
On Friday, Left parties and Janasena called for a district-wide agitation against the government and police for registering cases against sugarcane farmers. As part of the precautionary measures, district police kept a few leaders under house arrest since morning. However, a few of them escaped the house arrest and tried to reach NCS Sugar company. Police arrested such agitators.
The above news was originally posted on www.newindianexpress.com
