UP warns defaulting sugar mill owners

Lucknow, June 18 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government today warned the sugar mill owners to pay dues of farmers or else be ready for stringent action.

The decision was announced at a meeting chaired by UP Sugarcane and Sugar Industry Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui.

The state farmers are posed with hardships as mill owners reportedly owe billions of rupees to them in payment.

Taking note of their grievances, the Mayawati government has warned the mill owners to honour payments soon or 'be ready to face the music'.

Demanding speedy payment of dues, farmers had recently 'gheraoed' the Bajaj Sugar Mill in Gola area of Lakhimpur Kheri district. Six of them had even climbed up a telephone tower and threatened to commit suicide.

However, they relented only after the mill owner vowed payment of Rs 24 crore in July.

UNI