Goa Dairy challenges SUMUL entry in the HC, cites several illegalities by Govt
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 02 March 2016 20:30 IST
Citing several ‘illegalities’ committed by Goa government, Goa Dairy has finally challenged the entry of SUMUL in Goa’s milk market before the Bombay high court at Goa.
The division bench of Justice F M Reis and Justice K L Wadane will pass an order next week on admitting the petition, after hearing the arguments today.
In a petition, Goa Dairy has termed the government notification issued in this regard blatantly illegal.
The most startling argument among all is the Letter of Understanding signed by Goa government and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) with Goa Dairy in 1984 that no other agency would be permitted to start similar activity in Goa.
But having been not satisfied with Goa Dairy’s performance, Goa’s BJP government has now brought in a new player – the SUMUL - Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd.
Terming this notification blatantly illegal, Goa Dairy argues that neither SUMUL is a multi-state co-operative society nor its by-laws permit them to operate outside only two districts in Gujarat – Surat and Tapi.
While it is mandatory that SUMUL be authorised to operate in Goa by the Registrar of Co-operative Society, Goa Dairy claims that the Registrar is completely in dark about a new co-operative society entering Goa market, in milk production.
Goa government today argued that the entry of SUMUL would benefit the milk producing farmers, but Goa Dairy has countered it alleging that it would severely affect 19,000 farmers of Goa.
It has also quoted yet another Goa government notification of 2014, which states that Goa government can provide incentives and extend its schemes only to the co-operative societies registered in Goa and having its own cattle for the minimum period of five years.
The petition has also raised a question regarding the Amul pattern the SUMUL would follow in Goa, when the GDDB has recognised only Anand pattern of SUMUL; not Amul.
Goa Dairy has also suggested that Goa government is free to take over the operations of Goa Dairy if it is not satisfied but has no right to permit another player, authorised by the government.
Adv Iftekhar Aga argued on behalf of Goa Dairy while government counsel Adv Vivek Rodrigues defended the government position.
