The Hindu Business Line : Cane farmers protest against closure of jaggery units

New Delhi, Nov. 5 Sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh (UP) are up in arms against the ‘forcible closure’ of kolhus (jaggery-making units) by district authorities in some parts of the State.

“Contrary to the State Government’s assurance that kolhus will not be banned, as many as 36 such units in Badaun district have been arbitrarily closed by the sub-divisional magistrate of Saraswan tehsil. He has issued notices to the farmers owning the kolhus and even threatening to show cause them within seven days as to why FIRs should not be registered against them,” the Convenor of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, Mr V.M. Singh, said. The kolhus have been closed on grounds of polluting the environment since they run on diesel.

“It is a mere ruse to force farmers to supply their cane to sugar mills at the low rates proposed by them. If environment is an issue, then why not first close down brick kilns and country liquor units or for that matter distilleries attached to the mills themselves,” Mr Singh said.

He said that the farmer organisations would see to it that the closed kolhus would restart operations, while urging the State Government to take action against local authorities “who are in league with the sugar mill owners”.

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