Pandavapura: The Pandavapura Sahakara Sakkare Karkhane (PSSK) at Pandavapura in Mandya district, popularly known as Pandavapura Sugar Factory and considered as the lifeline of many sugarcane growers in this part of the district, is all set for a renewed start soon, with the Government likely to complete the tender process by May 13.

The factory, which started in the co-operative sector decades ago, was shut years ago due to mounting losses, following which the Government invited private parties to run the factory. Later Kothari Sugars came forward to run the factory, but could not manage to run it for long and subsequently the factory was closed again. But now the Government’s move to restart the factory has gained fresh traction with the invitation of tenders for letting out the factory on lease for a 40-year period.

More than 10 private players, including Kothari Sugars, have bid for the tender and the successful bidder will be known only when the Government opens all the received tenders, which is likely to happen shortly.

The successful bidder may be allowed to start Power Co-generation and Distillery Units in the factory as an economic viability. The factory currently has a crushing capacity of 3,500 Metric Tons per day and the successful bidder may have to raise it to 5,000 tons per day for economic viability, as per the tender norms.

The Government had invited tenders following a resolution passed at a meeting of all stakeholders at the Mandya Deputy Commissioner’s office on Mar.1, 2019, which was presided over by the then DC Manjushree.

The Government had set certain terms and conditions in the tender which included payment of pending wages to employees, bearing the cost of modernisation, generation of 12 Megawatt of power and protection of employee interests, among others. Now that the deadline for submission of tenders having ended, all eyes are on the Government as all the process involved in the scrutiny of tenders is likely to complete by May 13.

 Mandya DC asks factories to pay pending dues to farmers

Meanwhile, Mandya Deputy Commissioner Dr. M.V. Venkatesh has said that all sugar factories in the district have to clear sugarcane dues to farmers by May 15.

Presiding over a meeting with farmers to discuss the start of sugarcane crushing season, Dr. Venkatesh said that ICL Sugars in K.R. Pet has to pay Rs.13.46 crore, NSL Sugars in Koppa Rs.31.34 crore, Sri Chamundeshwari Sugars in K.M. Doddi Rs. 33.53 crore, Bannari Amman Sugars in Nanjangud Taluk Rs.3.33 crore and Kunthur Sugar factory in Kollegal Taluk a few crore rupees as dues to the farmers who supplied sugarcane to these factories.

Instructing the factories to clear all farmer dues by May 15, the DC said that the scrutiny of tender process of Pandavapura Sugar factory is almost complete. The factory, after getting started, can crush more than 8 lakh tons of sugarcane every year, he added.