Verka delayed payments, allege dairy farmers

Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, August 11

District dairy farmers and marginal farmers, who supply milk to the Verka plant here, have accused the plant authorities for delaying their dues for over two months now.

A marginal farmer from a nearby village, requesting anonymity, informed that the authorities dealing with their payments, had not given their dues for the milk that they had provided to the plant in the past month.

“Despite several requests made to them to release the payments nothing has been done. We tried from our end to discuss the issue and know the reason behind the delay, but authorities make excuses and say payment will be released soon,” he said.

“The delay in payment is having an adverse effect on our business. Apart from not releasing our payments, the plant authorities have also been giving us less payment for the milk,” he alleged.

Another dairy farmer, whose payment amounting to Rs 5 lakh is pending, said, “There has been a rule for the payment, we use to receive payment earlier thrice a month, after every 10 days. But since June 20, no farmer had received payments, while the supply of milk is continuing.”

A marginal farmer alleged that no farmer was willing to open protest as they fear that the plant officials would terminate their contracts.

However, the Verka Jalandhar Plant head, Anil Kumar Mishra, accepting that the payments have been delayed for the last month said, “Due to some stock issues, the plant was not able to make the payments on time. Assuring that the payments would be released at the earliest he said, by Monday we will make sure that the pending dues are clear”.