Begin crushing in September: labour minister

Labour and Sugar Minister Shivaram Hebbar directed the officials to begin crushing activities at Chamundeshwari Sugar factory here, by the first week of September.

The minister held a meeting with the officials, after inspecting the upgradation works of the sugar factory in Channarayapatna on Tuesday.

He took the officials to task for not following the contract guidelines and for the default in payment since 2016. The management has not followed the contract rules and the government has lost hope on them, he said.

He questioned the officials for the delay caused in completing the upgradation works. “Who is responsible for this? Should sugarcane growers suffer for the mistakes of the officials?” he asked.

Chamundeshwari Sugar Factory general manager Nagaraju explained that the work was to be completed six months ago. As there was a problem in the chimney it was delayed. This was followed by Corona lockdown. The works would be expedited and the factory will open by September, he said.

The minister said, “A meeting is being held in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The officials should attend the meeting and give it in writing that the works would be started by September.”