Phagwara, Punjab: Hundreds of farmers affiliated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) staged an indefinite protest, or “dharna,” outside the Phagwara SDM’s office, reports Tribune India.
Their primary demand was clearing pending payment of Rs 43 crore owed to sugarcane growers by the Phagwara Sugar Mill.
The protesting farmers first gathered near the Sugar Mill and conducted a protest rally. The event featured addresses by Manjit Singh Rai, the President of BKU (Doaba), along with Kirpal Singh Musapur, the Vice-President, and Satnam Singh Sahni, the General Secretary. Subsequently, the farmers proceeded on foot towards the SDM’s office, chanting slogans directed at both mill owners and the Punjab Government.
Farmers voiced concerns that Phagwara Sugar Mill had neglected to pay the outstanding sum of Rs 43 crore, which had been pending for the past three years. The farmers cited financial losses due to previous floods.
As per news report published in The Tribune, Phagwara SDM Jai Inder Singh said meeting with farmer leaders and the agriculture minister concluded. In the meeting, it had been decided to make recovery from mill owners by selling their properties.
