Varanasi: An all-party farmers’ gathering was held on Monday to protest the suspension of crushing operations at Kisan cooperative sugar mill, Ghosi with participants demanding that the unit be reopened without delay, Amar Ujala reported.
Hundreds of farmers and workers associated with the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party and Left parties joined the protest, which began at 10 am and continued till 4 pm. The demonstrators sat on a day-long dharna, pressing for immediate action to restart the mill.
Additional District Magistrate Satyapriya Singh reached the protest site in the evening and listened to the grievances of the leaders. A 13-point memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was submitted under the leadership of Ghosi MP Rajeev Rai and Samajwadi Party leader Dr. Sujit Kumar Singh. The ADM read out the memorandum at the venue and assured the gathering that efforts would be made to resolve the issues. The protest was called off after the assurance.
The agitation was led by Rajeev Rai and Dr. Sujit Singh, who coordinated the farmers’ meeting. Several public representatives and local leaders were present, including MLAs Rajendra Kumar and Dr. H.N. Singh Patel, Samajwadi Party district president Doodhnath Yadav and Congress district president Rajmangal Yadav.
During the protest, Rajeev Rai demanded that the cooperative sugar mill be made operational immediately and that crushing continue until all sugarcane brought to the mill gate and designated purchase centres is processed. He also sought cancellation of a cane collection centre set up in the yard of a sugar mill at Sathiaon in Azamgarh. Farmers, he said, should receive cane supply slips and payments from the Ghosi mill as earlier.
The memorandum called for an inquiry into the approved budgets and works of the engineering, chemical, cane and civil departments for the 2025-26 crushing season. It also sought action against department heads for losses incurred by the mill.
Among other demands were the immediate restart of the mill’s distillery unit, adjustment of minimum wage workers in the mill on the lines of temporary employees, and payment of pending wages, bonuses and overtime dues to permanent, temporary and contract workers. The leaders also sought six months’ salary for eligible temporary employees as per rules.
The memorandum further demanded construction of a permanent drainage system for wastewater from the mill, prompt resolution of issues faced by farmers and workers, and measures to prevent accidents during the crushing season. It said tractors and trolleys carrying sugarcane should be parked inside the mill campus instead of along National Highway-29.
