Ambala: The mounting cane arrear in Haryana has put sugarcane farmers in financial distress. Also, cane growers in the state upped the ante against the sugar mills and government over pending payments. Farmers have threatened to launch an agitation over pending cane arrears. Cane growers are angry against Naraingarh Sugar Mills Limited as they have not received arrears of sugarcane which they sold to sugar mills. They held a mahapanchayat in Naraingarh over cane dues and served the deadline of August 22 to clear the dues or else will face the heat.
After getting the information of mahapanchayat, government officials including Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Naraingarh reached the spot and discussed with the farmers’ union.
According to the reports, sugar mill still owes sugarcane farmers around Rs 100 crore, and the bank has agreed to give a loan of Rs 50 crore on the guarantee of the state government. Sugarcane farmers were assured that soon their dues would be cleared as soon as mill get the loan.
If the mill fails to clear the arrears, then matter is likely to escalate as farmers may stage a demonstration. BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni said, “The union has served an ultimatum to hold another mahapanchayat on August 22 if dues don’t get cleared,”
Aditi, CEO, Zila Parishad talking to a leading news website said, “The mill will get a loan of Rs 50 crore from the HARCO. Efforts are being made to clear farmers’ dues at the earliest.”
Sugar mill citing depressed sugar prices and scarcity of money as a reason in delay in clearing the cane dues.
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