Sangrur admn begins proceedings to attach private sugar mill’s assets

Getting tough on a private sugar mill for not paying ₹11.91-crore pending dues to cane farmers, the Sangrur district administration has initiated proceedings to attach its assets

Getting tough on a private sugar mill for not paying ₹11.91-crore pending dues to cane farmers, the Sangrur district administration has initiated proceedings to attach its assets.

Three cane farmers have been sitting atop a water tank at chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s office in Dhuri since June 6.

The mill — Bhagwanpura Sugars Limited — is located in Dhuri and caters to farmers of four districts: Sangrur, Barnala, Malerkotala and Patiala. According to a union leader, it owes dues to as many as 600 farmers.

The opposition parties have been highlighting the issue to target the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab while campaigning for the Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll, which is scheduled on June 23.

After issuing a notice for the release of dues by June 10, the administration has now initiating proceedings to attach the mill’s assets. The confiscated assets will be auctioned or sold to recover the dues, said an official privy to the development.

“The pending amount is recoverable as arrears of land revenue. Therefore, the administration has begun proceedings under Section 3 (1) of the Revenue Recovery Act 1890,” said the official, requesting anonymity. Deputy commissioner Jintender Jorwal also confirmed the development, but refused to divulge any details.

Meanwhile, the cane farmers’s protest against the state government and the mill entered the sixth day. Three farmers have been sitting atop a water tank at chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s office in Dhuri since June 6, while dozens of farmers are protesting outside this office.

Avtar Singh, a cane farmer and leader of the Ganna Sangharsh Committee, said: “Around 600 farmers have been waiting for their dues since November. We also met rural development and panchayat minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal at Dhuri on Sunday and sought his help in the matter.”

Kunal Yadav, the mill’s managing director, said: “The mill is running in losses and we are seeking the government’s help. We have filed a reply to the administration’s notice, and will release the pending payments by July.” The mill has reportedly prepared a schedule to release the payments in instalments every week.

Dhuri subdivisional magistrate Amit Gupta said: “We are negotiating with farmers to end their protest. Besides, we are in the process of attaching the property of the private sugar mill.”