Madurai: Sugarcane farmers protested outside the Madurai district collectorate on Thursday, demanding the reopening of the National Cooperative Sugar Mills at Alanganallur, which has remained closed since 2019, The Times of India reported.
Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Farmers Association state vice-president N. Palanisamy while addressing the gathering said repeated appeals and protests over the years had not led to any concrete action from the government. He said a review committee formed in 2023 had estimated that the mill could be revived at a cost of ₹27 crore.
Palanisamy also said a power substation project linked to the sugar mill, estimated at ₹100 crore, had been stalled despite nearly 80% of the work having been completed. He said the continued closure of the mill had resulted in heavy financial losses for sugarcane farmers in the region and pressed for immediate steps to restart operations.
