Amloh, November 26
Farmers and members of various kisan unions staged a dharna in front of Nahar Sugar Mill, Amloh, today, in protest against the policy of payment of sugarcane at the reduced rates, in sugar mills in the state.
While addressing the dharna, Mr Pishora Singh, state unit president of the Kisan Union (Ekta), criticised the Central Government who had declared 13 states as drought hit but discriminated against Punjab, the government did not raise the procurement price of paddy and the rise in the rates of wheat procurement are not expected without any agitation.
The farmers had sown sugarcane on the assurance of the management of the sugar mill that the produce would be purchased at the rate of Rs 100 per quintal whereas the farmers were expecting Rs 125 per quintal but now the announcement of payment at the rate of Rs 100 per quintal out of which the payment of Rs 70 would be made and the balance of Rs 30 would be paid later on.
Mr Baldev Singh Mianpur, president, Bharti Kisan Union, Punjab, said that the farmers would not supply sugarcane at the rate of rupees 70 per quintal to the mill. He appealed to the farmers to organise themselves for the
fulfilment of their demands just as the organised sector employees get their demands accepted and 95 per cent of the state exchequer was paid in the shape of wages. He cited the example of PSEB, which had a strength of 92,000 employees against the requirement of 30,000, the additional burden was put on the shoulders of the consumers.
Jathedar Rajinder Singh Taura, district president, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, Imaan Singh Mann, Sadhu Singh Pirjain (Both Akali Dal, Amritsar ), Master Harjit Singh, Comrade Ram Singh, Mr Piara Singh Sounti also addressed the dharna.
Thakur Jaipaul Singh, cane manager and Samuel Mount Singh, personnel manager, told the media persons that co-operative sugar mills made the payment to the farmers at the rate of Rs 70 per quintal after 14 days and the balance of Rs 30 in the next installment whereas Nahar Sugar Mill made the payment on the counter immediately and the balance of Rs 30 on the next fixed date. The mill had been making the payment within 24 hours to the cane producers at the rate of Rs 100 per quintal in the past, they asserted. The Central Government had announced Rs 64.50 per quintal and the rest was to be paid by the sugar mills. The mill had cleared all the payments of the farmers. They hoped to settle the matter with the farmers amicably.
