This story is from December 5, 2018

Sugarcane growers on a warpath over pending dues

Sugarcane growers on a warpath over pending dues
Farmers protest on Phagwara highway on Tuesday.
PHAGWARA: Their demands for release of pending dues and directions to private mills to start crushing ignored so far, cane growers from across the stage began a dharna here on Tuesday. The agitation, which is being held by seven farmers’ organizations, began with a dharna outside the Phagwara sugar mill gate around 10.30am. However, the protesters shifted the venue to the national highway at Nawanshahr Bypass around 4pm, completely choking the traffic between Jalandhar and Ludhiana – one of the busiest stretches in the state – and Jalandhar-Chandigarh highway.

The farmers served two ultimatums during the day. One in the morning, to block the NH around two and half kilometres from the mill, and another in the evening, saying that if their issues were not resolved, they would completely choke the NH after 5pm. As there was no response from the state government even as senior officials held a meeting with Punjab Private Sugar Mills Association, the protesters blocked the NH at 5pm, holding up hundreds of vehicles on the highway.
The farmers have been raising their issues for the last few weeks and were given written assurances on November 18, when they had blocked Jalandhar- Pathankot NH and rail traffic at Dasuya, of redressal of their grievances. However, it was only on Monday that senior government officials held their first meeting with private millers.
Apart from demanding release of last year’s dues of around Rs 400 crore, their biggest concern is that private mills, which have over 70 % of crushing capacity, have not started crushing. While the state government announced State Assured Price (SAP) of Rs 310 per quintal, the private millers say they would pay only Rs 275 – the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) announced by the Centre and the gap of Rs 35 should be paid by the state government. They claim low whole sale prices of sugar make operations unviable if they pay farmers Rs 310.
The agitation is being led by BKU (Doaba), Majha Sangharash Committee, Ganna Sangarash Committee Dasuya, Lok Bhalai Insaaf Welfare Society and three other Leftist farmers unions.
“Residents of neighbouring villages have taken it on themselves to serve us langar and would take turns to do so. We shall stay here till the final resolution of issues and not lift the blockade on empty assurances,” said BKU (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai.
“The situation arose despite the political and official establishment being well aware that cane crushing would have issues,” said Baldev Singh Sirsa, who heads Lok Bhalai Insaaf Welfare Society.
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