District BJP leaders have announced that the party will organize a protest on September 17, coinciding with the Cabinet meeting in the City, if the state government does not allow the operation of the sugar factory in Chincholi, reported Deccan Herald.
At a joint press conference on Tuesday, they said that the government is doing politics by targeting party MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal who is the chairman of Siddhasiri Souharda Sahakari Niyamit (SSSN) that operates the sugar factory.
As per media report, the factory is accused of not adhering to environmental regulations, leading the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to order its closure. BJP leader Rajkumar Patil Telkur stated that the party will devise a plan for the protest if permission for the sugarcane crushing operation is not granted before September 15. He pointed out that the government has not taken action against dust emissions from cement factories, which pose environmental and health risks. “Sugarcane is cultivated over more than one lakh hectares in four taluks, and the factory is crucial for farmers. It also provides employment to about 10,000 people. District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge is singling out the Chincholi sugar mill, while several cement factories also violate environmental standards. Addressing these issues should involve correcting the factories’ mistakes rather than opting for closure,” Telkur said.
