Once known for its sugar in the country, Nizam Sugar factory is struggling for its survival. With the state government not initiating measures to revive the factory, the future of the workers hangs in balance.
According to the workers, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had raised hopes before the elections by assuring them that once TRS came to power, it would take over the industry by removing private partnership. However, the situation of the farmers continued to remain the same even after TRS came to power. The dejected farmers requested the state government many times to take over the industry but in vain.
It may be recalled that the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao had set up sugar industries at Mambojipally in Medak and Bodhan of Nizamabad district.Later, his political successor N Chandrababu Naidu privatised Nizam Sugars. The industries were run under 51 per cent private share and 49 percent government share, but the factories were shut down after TRS came to power. Later, the major partner of the industry Gokaraju Gangaraju announced layoff without intimating the workers.
The enraged workers staged protest but it proved to be futile. At last, the government announced of putting Nizam Sugars on sale but giving the responsibility to National Company for Law Tribunal.
Later, National Company for Law Tribunal issued notification for sale in the national daily last month, which read that the bidder should have an annual turnover of Rs 500 crore and should be ready to invest `100 crore to run the sugar factory. It is learnt that two contractors came forward to purchase Nizam Sugar factories, but they didn’t show any interest in reopening the factory. Officials opined that contractors came forward for the valuable lands of the Nizam Sugar industries.
Meanwhile, workers alleged that these problems have arisen due to the attitude of the rulers. According to workers, the authorities told them that National Company for Law Tribunal would look after the sale of the industries, however, it turned out that factory officials had to make several rounds to the owner of the industry in order to clear the salary dues of 350 workers.
P Siddiramulu, a worker at Nizam Sugars, said that workers have to get Rs 60 crore from the management. He pointed out that though deputy speaker M Padma’s husband is the union leader of the factory workers, they are still struggling to get justice. He said that they can get their salaries if the industry is run under private and public partnership and requested the government to clear their pending dues. #KhabarLive
