Morena: Farmers in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district staged a tractor march on Tuesday to protest against the auction of a portion of land earlier given on lease to a sugar mill, which had been lying defunct since 2011.
Hundreds of farmers drove their tractors to the mill premises to oppose the auction process. The protest, called “Jail Bharo Aandolan,” saw active support from the Congress party, with participants waving party flags as they marched through Morena’s streets.
To maintain order, the Morena District Police set up barricades around the mill area. Tensions escalated as protesters clashed verbally with police personnel during the demonstration.
Congress MLA Pankaj Upadhyay, representing the Joura Assembly seat, informed reporters that the auction had been paused following the protest. “The district administration has assured us that the sugar mill will be revived and made operational again. They will reschedule the auction process later,” he said.
The Kailaras sugar mill, established in 1973, ceased operations in 2010-2011 due to consistent financial losses. A shortage of sugarcane and inadequate working capital were cited as the main reasons for its closure.
The state government has announced plans to revive the factory, which include selling approximately 27 hectares of land to clear debts owed to farmers and workers. The Department of Industry has been tasked with overseeing the auction process.
Recent developments in the sugar industry, particularly the growing use of ethanol as an alternative to petroleum products, have sparked optimism. Across the country, several sugar mills that shut down for years are reopening, with the increasing demand for ethanol playing a key role in their revival.
