Sugarcane farmers threaten to resume their protest today

Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Ambala, September 18

Farmers who have not got their pending dues for sugarcane supplied to Naraingarh Sugar Mill threatened to resume their agitation from Thursday.

The farmers had ended their “Jal Satyagraha” after the Cabinet approved a loan of Rs 60 crore for Naraingarh Sugar Mill to clear the arrears.

Rajiv Sharma, spokesman, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), said, “The sugar mill is yet to clear dues of Rs 79.5 crore for sugarcane supplied to the mill. The agitation was ended on assurance of the government that a loan has been approved and farmers will get the payment soon. However, even after 18 days, no payment has been made.”

“Recently, we were told that the mill will transfer money on September 18 and 19. No money has been transferred today. It has been decided to hold a panchayat outside the Naraingarh SDM office on Thursday and take a decision over the issue. The farmers may give call of another agitation,” he said.

Rajiv said, “As per the government decision, the mill was to get Rs 60 crore as the government loan and Rs 12 crore dues from the Power Department. Regarding shortfall of Rs 7.5 crore, the mill management had said that the farmers will be given can post-dated cheques with interest.”

As per information, documentation process for Rs 60 crore loan is in the final stage.

Naraingarh SDM Aditi said, “Arrears of Rs 79.5 crore are pending and the farmers are likely to start getting their payments in a couple of days as the documentation process for loan is in final stage. The loan of Rs 60 crore is being exclusively given to the mill to clear the dues of farmers only. The money will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of the farmers.”