Narsinghpur: Farmers staged a protest at the collectorate in Narsinghpur on Friday, demanding immediate clearance of pending sugarcane dues from the Mahakaushal Sugar Mill located at Bachai. The demonstration was organised under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait), with several farmers protesting in a semi-nude state to highlight their grievances, Bhaskar reported.
The farmers accused the sugar mill of delaying payments despite repeated requests. They said the delay has created serious financial problems for many families who depend on sugarcane as their main source of income.
One of the protester said he had supplied about 2,163 quintals of sugarcane to the mill, worth more than Rs 8.15 lakh, but had received only half the payment. He said the pending amount has made it difficult to meet labour and transport expenses. He said the delay could affect the education of his two daughters studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University and University of Delhi.
Another farmer, said his newborn daughter, who is undergoing treatment in Jabalpur for breathing problems and low weight, had to stop treatment due to lack of money. He said around Rs 8тАУ9 lakh of his payment from the sugar mill is still pending, and he has already spent about Rs 2.7 lakh by taking loans and pledging gold.
One more farmer said around Rs 8 lakh of his payment has been pending since February, affecting preparations for his nieceтАЩs engagement scheduled on the 15th.
The protesting farmers urged the district administration to intervene and ensure that the mill clears all pending dues. They warned that the agitation would intensify if the payments were not released soon. Officials assured the farmers that they would speak with the mill management to resolve the issue.
