Chairmen of two sugar mills, MD in stand-off

VELLORE: AR Rajendran and M Anandan, both chairman of the Tirupattur and Vellore Cooperative Sugar Mills respectively, have jointly raised a complaint against Meena Priyadarshini, who is the joint MD of both mills.

Sources revealed that both Rajendran and Anandan have lodged the complaint with the sugar commissioner saying they were unhappy with the attitude of the Managing Director. The duo mentioned that she had no regard for the duly constituted board and also indulged activities that were unacceptable by the board.

While in Tirupattur, the issue pertained to the chairman not being given respect, the issues in Vellore were more serious as they included moving sugar and molasses to other government units without the mandatory resolutions being passed by the 18-member board of directors. Vellore chairman Anandan said, “when she was unable to answer any mill-related question during a board meeting two months after assuming additional charge, she charged me with having insulted her despite I defending her.”

However, what annoyed the board was that nearly 10,000 tonnes of sugar was handed over to the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation on credit without the mandatory board resolution.

“Also, molasses was moved to a government unit similarly resulting in that unit wanting supply on credit,” sources added. Reacting to the complaints, Priyadarshini said that all sugar movement was done after board resolutions were passed. “You can get the resolution copy from the mill office,” she told DT Next. She also said that she visited the mills regularly. However, Anandan refuted her claims.

Meanwhile, it was understood that after her comments, Meena Priyadarshini pressurised the Vellore mill’s staff to get predated resolutions and signatures passed by the chairman, which the latter refused to do.