Amaravati: BJP suspects plot to dispose of coop sugar factories

Amaravati: BJP state president Somu Veerraju in an open letter to Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy questioned the government's stand on sugar factories while expressing concern over the mounting problems for cooperative sugar factories set up by farmers.

He alleged that the state government has been deliberately weakening the cooperative spirit among farmers by closing the factories.

In his letter on Friday, the BJP leader said 75 per cent of cooperative sugar factories have been shut so far due to indifferent attitude of the state government.

Over 3,000 workers deprived of livelihood due to closure of cooperative sugar factories in Kadapa, Chittoor and Visakhapatnam districts. He said the government announced immediately after coming to power that Kadapa and Anakapalli sugar factories would be revived but failed take initiative in that direction.

The BJP leader demanded the state government to clarify its stand on sugar factories.

Four sugar factories in Visakhapatnam district, Tandava, Yetikoppaka, Govada and Tummapala, were caught in debt trap due to government's negligent attitude. Salaries have not been paid to workers for the past 32 months, he said alleging that the state government has been trying to hand over the cooperative sugar factories to private parties by weakening them.

Somu Veerraju said that the BJP is ready to fight with the government to protect the interest of sugarcane farmers.