Phagwara mill owners told to pay cane dues

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, November 27

Attempting to resolve the ongoing tussle between farmers and sugar mill owners over their pending dues, Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa on Saturday made both sides sit together during a meeting held here.

As farmers demanded that their pending dues of Rs50 crore be paid to the owners quickly, after long deliberations it was finally decided that Rs25 crore would be paid by Sandhar Sugar Mills in three instalments by June 2022. The farmers said they would take a final decision on the proposal made by the mill owner in four days.

Randhawa chaired a meeting of the representatives of farmer unions, sugar mills general managers, owners of private sugar mills on the issue of payment to farmer against the sugarcane at DAC Kapurthala.

To represent the farming community in the meeting Satnam Singh, BKU Doaba general secretary, Kirpal Singh Musafir, AK Arora GM of Bhogpur sugar mill, GC Shergill GM Nawanshahar sugar mill, Jarnail Singh Wahid from Wahid Sandhar sugar mill Phagwara were also present.

Earlier, on his maiden visit to the Kapurthala district after assuming office as Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, a contingent of Punjab Police led by PPS Babandeep Singh presented the Guard of Honour to the Deputy CM. Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala Deepti Uppal, IG Jalandhar range GS Dhillon, SSP Kapurthala Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh welcomed the Deputy CM.