Porvorim: Several farmers poured hundreds of litres of milk on the road near Goa legislative assembly complex as a protest against the action of a state supported dairy cooperative giant to reject their milk.
The farmers claimed that they had brought cans of milk to be gifted to the State ministers during ongoing Session of the legislative assembly, but were stopped by policemen on the way.
“With heavy heart, we had to pour this milk on the road. We know how difficult it is for the farmers do to such thing. But we had to do it as a mark of protest,” said Meghashyam Raut, who led the farmers to the assembly complex.
The monsoon session of the legislative assembly began on Monday.
The farmers who were supplying milk to Gujarat based Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited (SUMUL) were upset after almost 4,500 litres of milk was rejected on Monday morning by the cooperative officials.
Raut said that the officials of SUMUL conducted litmus paper test on the milk to pronounce it to be unfit for purchase. He said that the proper labouratory test should have been conducted to reason out why it is unfit.
The farmers have threatened to intensify their agitation, if SUMUL continues to harass them.
Raut said that the Gujarat based cooperative union was introduced in Goa during the time of Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister, with an assurance that the farmers will get better rate for their milk.
“But now the SUMUL officials are publicly claiming that they have been not getting cooperation from the government. The union has also withheld bonus of the farmers, which was promised to them,” Raut said.
He said that the dairy farmers are having hand to mouth existence due to increase in the prices of fodder for the cattle. “If this situation continues, then the dairy industry in the State will be into deeper trouble,” Raut added.
NO one will throw their hard earned products in the street like this unless they are really stupid. They should have donated it to the numerous oldage and kids home all over Goa. Such an atrocious wastage of a food product is unacceptable under any condition. Govt. must take strict action against those involved.