Nayagarh sugar mill owners threaten to shut down unit

Blame government for inaction to remove squatters from mill premises

Irked with the state government's inaction to remove the squatters who have laid siege to his sugar unit for last ten days, the management of Nayagarh Sugar Complex Ltd (NSCL), the only industry of reckoning in Nayagarh district, today threatened to shut down the unit.

"If the state government does not initiate action against the miscreants who have been occupying the premises of the unit, there will be no option left but to shut down the unit", said Trailokya Mishra, chairman, NSCL.

"Some people including the Sarpanch of Balugaon have been staying inside the mill premises for last ten days. They are not letting any official enter into the complex and have threatened our staff from Maharashtra to leave the area. We do not know what is going on inside the campus and apprehend any accident might take place as the factory contains a lot of inflammatory substances," Mishra told media persons here today.

The company management tried to file an FIR in the nearest police station, but no action has been taken so far. Officials of district administration have not responded either. "We have informed everybody except the court. But no action has been taken", said Sabya Sachi Mishra, deputy managing director of NSCL.

The village Sarpanch and others have occupied the area demanding payment of dues to sugarcane farmers which amount to Rs one crore. They want all the farmers must be paid before the new crushing season begins in October.

"It is true that farmers are to be paid their dues and I have arranged about Rs 50 lakh to pay them. But they are demanding full payment for all farmers and not letting me to do business," Mishra said.

Delay in payment of dues to sugarcane farmers is nothing unusual in India, but the non-cooperation of the state government in maintaining law and order situation is surprising.

Attempt to contact the local MLA and state energy minister Arun Kumar Sahu to resolve the issue was not successful as he was not incommunicado for last couple of days, Mishra said.

On Saturday, the forest department officials seized logs of teak woods from the mill premises and booked a case against the mill owners.

"I do not think these are act of God. There is conspiracy behind all these activities," Mishra complained.