Farmers' protest bears fruit; process to attach property of Phagwara sugar mill starts across Punjab

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, August 8  

Due to the non-payment of sugarcane dues by the Golden Sandhar Sugar Mill Limited, Phagwara, to farmers, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal has taken strict action by initiating the process to attach each and every property of the sugar mill across the state. A letter in this regard has been written by Sarangal to all other 22 Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Collectors of the state.

Sangral has asked his counterparts to find the property in revenue records in the name of Golden Sandhar Sugar Mill Limited, Phagwara or Wahad Sandhar Sugar Mill, Phagwara (Kapurthala). If any ownership of land/property is found, then he must be informed after attaching it as per the rules so that the farmers can be paid their dues by taking further action regarding recovery.

The DC said Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture, Punjab, Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, and Cane Commissioner, Mohali, have also been informed in this regard.

He has written to all deputy commissioners that sugarcane growers were to be paid Rs 122.39 crore by financial year 2021-22, out of which Rs 86.64 crore has been paid till May 23 this year while the payment of Rs 35.75 crore is pending.

He clarified that non-payment of dues despite issuing directions to the General Manager of the mill could lead to worsening of law and order situation.

Sarangal said if the farmers are not paid within 14 days, they will have to pay 15 per cent annual interest under the Sugarcane Control Order 1966 and the Essential Commodities Act 1955. He wrote that under the legal provisions, the arrears of sugarcane with interest has to be recovered from the said sugar mill so that the farmers can be paid at the earliest.