The vexed problem of the non-payment of dues to cane growers by cooperative sugar mills in Haryana needs to be solved urgently. Thousands of farmers are in desperate straits.
Meanwhile, Haryana cane commissioner has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that cooperative sugar mills will pay most of dues by mid June. The state govt. has already given a loan of Rs. 290 crore to cooperative sugar mills to enable them to pay dues to cane farmers, the commissioner told the court in an affidavit.
Lok Bhalai Insaf Welfare Society has filed a petition against the non-payment by the sugar mills.
The petition says there are 13 sugar mills (3 private and 10 cooperative) in Haryana, which have yet to pay around Rs 900 crore to farmers. The cane growers in Punjab are facing the same problem.