Cotton farmers plan march over non-payment of dues

Nagpur, Mar 1: Demanding the clearance of dues owed to them by a ginning factory, around 400 cotton growers from Seloo in Wardha district are planning a march tomorrow to protest against the state government's failure to resolve the issue.

The cotton growers said they were hoping that RSS leaders here might be able to help them with the recovery of their dues from the ginning factory owner. The cotton cultivators had planned a march to the RSS headquarters here three days back, but were detained by police.

Afterwards the district guardian minister, Chandashekhar Bawankule, assured them of help in the matter. The farmers, who spent Sunday night in the open, are planning another march tomorrow with black flags to protest against the non-payment of their dues and the failure on the part of the government to resolve the issue.

"We were assured on behalf of the Chief Minister that cheques to nearly 400 cotton farmers totalling Rs 8 crore will be handed out," said one of the cotton farmers, Ram Narain Pathak.

The cotton growers said they had sold 20,000 quintals of cotton to the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) between November, 2014, and May, 2015, which in turn was acquired by the owner of a ginning and pressing factory who allegedly failed to make payments to the farmers.

The farmers are hoping that top RSS leaders can intervene in the dispute.

PTI