Mysuru : Melkote MLA and farmers’ leader K S Puttannaiah, on Monday, blamed the politicians and the state government for failing to maintain Sri Rama Cooperative Sugar Factory in KR Nagar taluk.
Speaking to reporters, he said, elected representatives from the region, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mandya MP C S Puttaraju and other ministers, had failed to ensure the sustenance of sugar factories in the interest of growers and factory workers. It was former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who had infused a new lease of life by granting Rs 40 to 50 crore towards its revival. Now, the chief minister Siddaramaiah has sanctioned only Rs six crore to pay the salaries of the employees, he said.
Sugar cane contributes Rs 16,350 crore towards state’s economy and it is not a big deal for government to sanction funds to make the factories stable.
He suggested the government to lease the factories to private parties or to revamp them for the welfare of cane growers.
He also criticised the government’s anti-farmer policies, which had affected the cane growers of the region, and said the ministers had failed miserably in reviving the sugar factories.
Stressing on acquisition of lands by the government in the name of development, he said, “The government should take lands from the farmers through consent and not acquire them. The government is treating farmers as slaves.”
When government is not capable of managing factories then, what else can they (farmers) give for the state? he asked.
Puttanaiah said, “Ministers should have common and human sense. Even though hundreds of farmers committed suicide, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have failed to address farmers’ woes.”
The MLA urged all party leaders to keep politics aside and to work for the development of the sugar factories.