Farmers in Dhuri have intensified their struggle against the sugar mill, rallying against the pending amount for sugarcane and the non-operation of the Dhuri Sugar Mill. A sugar cane cultivator led a protest, citing a dispute over the outstanding sum of Rs. 16 crores owed to them by the sugar mill. The farmers, who have been facing hardships for a long time, have renewed their efforts at a time when the Dhuri Sugar Mill has been under scrutiny for non-payment and is facing a fresh round of protests on the roads.The struggle committee chairman, Harjeet Singh Bugran, of the Sugarcane Growers Association, spoke to the media, expressing that while the Punjab government makes tall claims about running sugar mills, the pending amount of Rs. 16 crores for sugarcane has not been disbursed to the Dhuri Sugar Mill. This has prompted the sugarcane farmers to hit the roads once again.
He mentioned that if the Dhuri Sugar Mill doesn’t resume operations and the outstanding amount is not paid, the sugarcane cultivators will load their tractors with sugarcane and lay them in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Sangrur district. They will then hold a dharna outside the Ganna Cane Commission office in Chandigarh until their demands are met. At the scene, a protesting farmer asserted that the state government, by increasing the price of sugarcane to Rs. 11, is playing a joke on the farmers. He warned that if the government doesn’t clear the pending dues for their sugarcane or if the Dhuri Sugar Mill doesn’t start operating, the next protest will be even more intense. Responding to the situation, police officials assured the media that a thorough investigation will be conducted into all these matters. They have established contact with sugar mill authorities and sugarcane officials to resolve the issues promptly. The police emphasized their commitment to a swift resolution of these problems.