Bahuguna for talks with BJP leaders on sugar mills

With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposing the Uttarakhand government’s decision to close down the Gadarpur sugar mill, and run four others on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Thursday said he would hold talks with the Opposition with an “open mind” on the issue.

The state Cabinet on Tuesday had decided to put the shutter down on the Gadarpur sugar mill and decidecd to opt for the PPP model to revive four other ailing sugar mills.

As the chief minister arrived at his office at the secretariat here on Thursday, a group of BJP workers led by Gadarpur legislator Arvind Pandey began dharna at the main gate opposing the Cabinet’s decision on sugar mills. “I will go on fast-unto-death if the decision on sugar mills is not taken back,” said Pandey, who was joined by 5-6 other BJP MLAs like former speaker Harbans Kapoor.

With the dharna continuing, the chief minister strongly defended the decision saying the PPP was the best option before the government for reviving the loss-making sugar mills. “The government cannot afford to invest Rs 100-200 crore on these sugar mills. PPP is the best option before us to bring private investments. Under PPP, sugar mills will remain under the government’s control,” said Bahuguna.

Bahuguna also asserted that all the 600 workers of Gadarpur sugar mill, a cooperative unit with heavy losses, will be rehabilitated in other sugar mills. Bahuguna said the government had t take this tough decision on Gadarpur sugar mill due to difficulty in procuring cane. In this regard, Bahuguna said states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal have made big headway on PPP front. After the press briefing, Bahuguna went to the main gate to hold talks with the agitated BJP leaders. The chief minister told the BJP leaders that he would hold talks with them on Saturday with an “open mind” on the issue.

Later, BJP leaders called off the dharna and welcomed the chief minister’s announcement.