Farmers warn of stir if Mysore Sugar Factory leased to private firm

Mandya: Farmers associations have warned of agitation if State government leases Mysore Sugar Factory (Mysugar) to a private company.The factory had been the backbone of sugarcane farmers in Mysuru and Mandya districts for decadeş before falling on bad days following losses and forcing the government to close it. The government gave 400 employees VRS (voluntary retirement scheme).

The State government is said to considering leasing the factory to private companies. Last week farmers staged a protest against the proposal. Mysugar is the only sugar mill in Karnataka owned by government.

Speaking to The Hans India on Tuesday, State Raitha Sangha president Badagalapura Nagendra said that the government should revive the factory instead of leasing it to a private company. He warned that farmers would launch an agitation if government goes ahead with the proposal. Sources told this paper that the State government decided to lease the factory for a period of 40 years as it did in the case of the Pandavapura Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane (PSSK). PSSK has been leased to a company founded by Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani. The government had earlier planned to lease Mysugar but shelved the idea due to stiff opposition from the farmers. The government considered running the factory under Operation and Management (O&M) system.

Even district In-charge minister K C Narayana Gowda and MP A Sumalatha had given open statement that the factory would be run on O&M system. The farmers allege that the government is favouring some industrialists. It has constituted a sub-committee to oversee the lease procedure. As per an order of the government, the factory would be leased to protect the interest of the farmers and to give a new lease of life to Mysugar.