Social activist and former IAS officer E.A.S. Sarma on Saturday asked the State government to take steps to modernise and revive cooperative sugar factor in Anakapalle.
Referring to the expert committee set up by the government a few months ago to look into the problems of several cooperative sugar factories, including the Anakapalle factory, he said the team was expected to propose the steps to be taken. He said the team was required to submit its report in two months and wondered whether the team had since submitted its report.
In a representation to Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Rajeev Bhargava, he said no team had visited the Anakapalle factory in the recent times. If the team had indeed studied the problems of the factories, the State government should place the report in the public domain, he said.
Mr. Sarma said the machinery in place in Anakapalle was not being maintained at all and it was likely to become dysfunctional very soon, rendering such valuable investment infructuous. “If the government fails to act quickly, it will require a lot more of public expenditure to restore it to the status of a functioning unit,” he pointed out.
‘Mounting dues’
Meanwhile, the dissatisfaction among both the cane suppliers and the employees was escalating as large amounts of dues had accumulated. “The factory management has also failed to remit the statutory dues such as Provident Fund contributions etc. If this represents the correct picture, it would amount to a serious statutory offence committed by the management and the responsibility for it will devolve on the State Industries Department,” he stated.
