Sugarcane farmers to protest from Sept 27 seeking dues
Sugarcane farmers in Punjab on Wednesday announced a large-scale protest in Phagwara from September 27. They demand payment of dues of sugarcane farmers amounting to Rs 42 crore by the Phagwara Sugar Mill. Farm unions associated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha have also extended their support to the protest.
The Phagwara mill is one of the biggest defaulters with a debt of Rs 42 crore, of which Rs 36 crore date back to 2019-20 and 2020-21 crushing season and the rest is for 2021-22.
During a press conference held on Wednesday, representatives from three farm unions, including Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba), BKU (Nawanshahr), and Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee, were present to inform the about the protest.
Manjit Singh Rai, president of BKU Doaba, said that they have been fighting for their pending dues against the Phagwara sugar mill for the past four years. Despite previous protests, repeated reminders to the administration and the government, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Satnam Singh Sahni, the General Secretary of BKU Doaba, held both the owners of Phagwara Sugar Mill and the government accountable for the protest and the inconveniences it might cause, especially to highway commuters.
Source Link :- https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/sugarcane-farmers-to-protest-from-sept-27-seeking-dues-8949343/
