Farmers Movement Archive

Naraingarh sugar mill: Despite rollback of diversion order, farmers to protest in Panchkula

Even after the Haryana government cancelled its controversial notice of possibly diverting the cane area allotted to the private sugar mill in Naraingarh, if it fails to start operating for the next crushing season, farmers’ unions are still adamant about protesting against the cane commissioner outside his office in Panchkula on September 28, over non-payment of pending dues and salaries.The government had on September 13 written to three mills in Yamunanagar, Indri (Karnal) and Shahbad (Kurukshetra) to prepare for possible diversion of sugarcane crops of at least 7,000 farmers associated to the mill. However, soon after they opposed the decision, the notice was rolled back on September 17.A meeting was held under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in Tandwal village on Thursday, to get a consensus among the farmers of Ambala and Panchkula for the agitation.Rajeev Sharma, district media coordinator of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), said that local farmers will gather with their belongings at the mill in the morning and proceed for Panchkula in the presence of senior leaders.Major issuesFarmers’ unions, including those from Charuni and Tikait groups along with Ganna Sangharsh Samiti, have protested atleast four to five times in the last six months demanding that their dues be paid. Narinder Malik, the then managing director of the sugar mill, had assured senior farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni that their payments will be released, but the government failed to do so. At least 300 employees of the mill are also staging a sit-in at the premises for the last 11 days, demanding their pending salaries and increment.Farmer leader Malkit Singh said that as decided in an earlier meeting at Saha, the protest will take place despite the rollback of the decision.“Farmers have not been taken into confidence yet. There is insecurity among them over their produce and if the mill won’t operate, how will they get their pending dues of last season worth ₹66 crore. Moreover, the mill has taken crop loans worth ₹33 crore in the name of farmers in 2013-14 ,that stands as it is,” he said.Sandeep Kamdar, a union chief representing the employees, said, “Other than the pending salary of two months, we have also demanded that seasonal/casual workers and those working for the last five years be made permanent.”Niraj, sub-divisional magistrate of Naraingarh, said that the decision has been scrapped and the mill will function properly for the crushing season. On the issue of payment of dues, he said, “We are expecting that the arrears will be paid-off once the mill starts functioning. The loan was taken by the farmers from the bank(s), even though the guarantee was given by the mill. The loan still stands in the name of farmers and there are no documents to prove what farmers are claiming.” He added that the employees’ demands have been forwarded to the government, but due to the poor financial situation of the mill, they couldn’t be met.Meanwhile, local Congress MLA Shally Chaudhary demanded that owing to the current situation, the government should take over the mill at the earliest. Her husband and former chief parliamentary secretary in the Congress government, Ramkishan Gujjar, also hit-out at the government for intentional negligence, thus leading to the harassment of farmers.

Hindustan Times

24-09-2021

Chandigarh