Farmers end indefinite dharna at Brahmavar Sugar Factory
Udupi Zilla Raitha Sangha ended its 50-day dharna at the defunct Brahmavar Sugar Factory after the Karnataka government assured action over alleged Rs 14 crore corruption. Protesters demanded accountability for irregular scrap sales and misappropriations. The government responded with a circular and visits from top officials, prompting withdrawal. A court-directed police probe is pending home department clearance.
Mangaluru: Udupi Zilla Raitha Sangha, which was on an indefinite dharna in front of the defunct Brahmavar Sugar Factory premises since February 22 alleging corruption, has ended the protest after receiving assurances from the govt. Sangha members said the state govt promised to initiate action against the corrupt in the Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Sugar Factory, Brahmavar, who allegedly sold scrap from the factory.
The sangha members had been protesting for around 50 days alleging misappropriations in the factory for nearly 50 days, said former MLC Pratapchandra Shetty. “The govt responded to the day and night satyagraha of farmers and issued a circular. Moreover, deputy commissioner of Udupi K Vidya Kumari and the superintendent of police Arun K visited the satyagraha venue on behalf of the govt and requested farmers to withdraw the protest,” he said.
According to Sangha members, the corruption in the defunct factory resulted in a loss to the tune of Rs 14 crore. They also alleged that scrap items valued at Rs 21.9 crore were sold from January 2022 to June 2022, but the figures were erroneously entered as Rs 11.4 crore. Although there were copper, brass, aluminium and iron, which vary in their value, those items were not segregated. There were huge irregularities in selling the scrap from the factory as the procedure of e-procurement was not followed and e-way bills, weighbridge receipts, and gate passes from the factory were not maintained, they alleged.
Complaints were filed with the departments concerned on October 14, 2022, and with Brahmavar police on December 5, 2022. Since police did not accept the complaint, a private complaint was filed before the court. Following this, the court passed an order directing Brahmavar police to investigate the matter.
Since govt officials are also named as accused in the case, police wrote to the home department seeking permission on August 14, 2024, to probe the matter. However, the home department did not give permission, forcing the farmers to launch the dharna, members said.
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Source : The Times Of India
