Jalandhar: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) on Monday agreed to let the Phagwara Sugar Mill continue operations in the interest of sugarcane growers, even as large payment arrears remain unpaid. At the same time, the union stepped up its demand for early settlement of pending dues and confirmed its participation in protests against the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, reports The Tribune.
The decision was taken at a meeting of BKU (Doaba) leaders and members held at Gurudwara Sukhchaina Saheb in Phagwara. The meeting was presided over by the union’s state president, Manjit Singh Rai.
During the discussions, leaders pointed out that nearly ₹27.74 crore in sugarcane payments from previous crushing seasons is still outstanding against the Phagwara Sugar Mill. They expressed strong dissatisfaction over the delay, saying repeated meetings with the Cane Commissioner have failed to yield results, leaving farmers who depend on cane cultivation under financial pressure.
The union leaders stressed that the Phagwara Sugar Mill plays a vital role in the Doaba region, serving growers not only from Kapurthala district but also from nearby areas. Keeping this in view, they said uninterrupted crushing operations were necessary during the season. As a result, the union decided to withdraw its earlier stand of allowing the mill to operate only after full clearance of arrears.
The meeting also highlighted that large dues are pending from other mills as well. These include around ₹21 crore from the government-supported Nakodar Sugar Mill and close to ₹28 crore from the Golden Sandhar Sugar Mill in Phagwara. The leaders urged the state government to step in without delay to ensure that farmers receive payments from earlier seasons. They added that if the present management of the Phagwara Sugar Mill, run by the Rana Group, fails to clear dues and manage operations properly, the government should assume control to protect farmers’ interests.
Apart from cane-related issues, the meeting discussed the call by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to stage a protest outside Deputy Commissioner offices against the draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025. Supporting the move, BKU (Doaba) announced that its leaders and members would hold demonstrations outside DC offices across the Doaba region, including Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr, on December 18.
The union appealed to its workers to ensure large participation in the protest, stating that the proposed amendment, in its current form, could harm the interests of farmers.
