Wait gets longer to see sugar mill functional

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, November 26

The hopes of debt-ridden Phagwara Sugar Mills becoming functional after the bhog of akhand path on Sunday were dashed with the cancellation of lunch for farmers.

Will start agitation

Nearly 100 tractor-trailers loaded with sugarcane are ready to deliver the produce to the mill, but the administration doesn’t seem interested in resolving the issue. We are left with no option, but to resort to agitation till the issue is resolved. — Manjit Singh Rai, Farmer leader

The mill, which is already under a whopping debt of Rs 260 crore, hasn’t been operational since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020. It has been purchased by Rana Group of Kapurthala on the condition that the Rs 72-crore arrears would be paid to farmers by the previous mill owners.

It is learnt that one of the three previous co-owners is still not on board with regards the condition. Besides, the administration has not released the sugarcane slips to farmers to date.

Farmer leader Manjit Singh Rai said around 100 tractor-trailers loaded with sugarcane were ready to deliver the produce to the mill, but the administration didn’t seem interested in resolving the issue. Despite repeated attempts, neither any officer nor anyone from the mill management could be contacted.