In response to a report titled “Leaders Play with Dues, Lives” (November 29), Sri Chamundeswari Sugars has responded: “It is reported that cane growers of Maddur in Mandya district were angry with Sri Chamundeswari Sugars ... and they were protesting in front of the factory demanding their dues. To our utter surprise, it was also reported that the police arrived at K M Doddi and threatened to jail the farmers and also lathi-charged the protesters. We would like to clarify that no such incident has happened.” ......
“As far as the arrears being projected at `4.40 crore, we categorically deny this. The entire cane dues for the crushing season 2012-13 has been paid in respect of our Bharathinagar unit .... In respect of our Unit-II in Hassan District, the arrears for 2012-13 crushing season was only `49.30 lakh as on 30/09/2013, which has also been cleared subsequently.”
“The crushing season 2013-14 has already commenced and the payments are being made regularly.”
Our reporter replies: “The lathi-charge was reported in the media on June 7. The list we carried, based on the cane commissioner’s reply to a petition under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, did not break up dues by year. It gave Chamundeswari Sugars’ total dues as on 25.09.2013.”