Strongly refuting the allegation of irregularities and corruption levelled against him, Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM) general secretary and former chairman of Bijayananda Cooperative Sugar Mills limited (BCSMl) Jagneswar Babu on Sunday alleged that the ruling BJD in order to tarnish his public image has concocted false charges against him.
“The allegation levelled against me and my family members that we were involved in a Rs 22-crore scam during my tenure as BCSMl chairman is an attempt of the ruling party to tarnish our public image. Neither I nor my family members were engaged in any financial irregularities of the BCSMl nor had taken any loan in the name of any farmers and the factory’s employees. Rather, we brought loans legally for betterment and smooth functioning of the factory from different banks and other sources by mortgaging our properties,” said Babu.
Babu said that now the total loan amount of the factory is Rs 42 crore while the cost of the plant excluding depreciations stands at Rs 46 crore as per the valuation conducted by the National Sugar Institute. So, the status of the factory is now sound.
“But by repealing the 2001 Self-Help Cooperative Act, the State Government is trying to close down the factory as the new membership committee under the new law will not be formed within two months, thereby hampering bread and butter of 10,000 sugarcane farmers and the factory’s 350 employees,” said Babu.
As per the new law, the then management of the BCSMl would reconstitute the new committee and if it fails to do so it shall send to the Cooperative Registrar who shall reconstitute the committee during next two months. Babu said it is impossible to reconstitute the committee under the 1962 Cooperative Act within two months.
As till today the rule of the committee is yet to be framed, he said, asking the Government to take over the right of the membership.
Babu also warned that he would move court of law against those who have levelled corruption charges against him.