Facing the a double whammy of falling prices due to bumper production and rising arrears of cane farmers, the sugar industry in the state has now complained of repeated cases of ‘unreasonable behaviour, unlawful demands and physical harm and threats against its workers’ involving ‘elected representatives of the ruling BJP’.
In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP Sugar Millers Association has said that such unlawful activities by political elements have been reported in factories at Seohara (Bijnore), Babhnan (Gonda) Dhampur (Bijnore)’ Bundki (Bijnore) and Nigohi (Shahjehanpur).
The letter said that falling sugar prices are causing great financial stress on the viability of industry.
“On one hand, the industry is having a disastrous season and workers’ morale is low, on the other hand, our own public representatives are resorting to such high handedness like physical assault of workers, abuses and threats and are exerting undue and uncalled for pressure for getting their unlawful demands fulfilled by the industry,” the letter stated.
It further said that these activities were gravely harming the reputation of the state of being ‘industry friendly’.
The UPSMA requested the Chief Minister to send a stern message to the ‘anti-social elements to not disturb industrial harmony’.
Sugar mills across various states have been struggling to clear cane arrears which has been accentuated by the crash in sugar prices in recent months.
A UP Cane department official admitted that these incidents have been brought to official notice as well as Cane minister and action has already been initiated against some people.
“Both the Chief Minister and Cane minister have taken serious note of such incidents and asked elected representatives to behave themselves, especially when the industry is undergoing a lot of stress,” he said.
In November last year, a ruling party MlA along with 40-odd cronies, entered the premises of a private sugar mill at Seohara in Bijnore and physically assaulted the mill staff.