Kathmandu, July 29
Some groups of sugarcane farmers are back to Kathmandu from the southern districts of Nepal to protest the industrialists dillydallying to give them outstanding payments.
The groups say they are ready to launch the fifth round of protests in the past few years with the same demand. Their latest demonstration in the capital had ended in January this year, with the government committing to force the industrialists to make the payments.
But, Hareshyam Raya Yadav, a leader of the Sarlahi Sugarcane Farmers Struggle Committee, says the farmers are yet to received around Rs 410 million from six sugar mills of the country.
“We want to ask the government to help us get our payments. We will meet the prime minister and make him hear our woes if possible.”
Because the new government has been formed recently, the farmers will ask it for support initially, he says, adding, but if it cannot, they will resort to protest.
Govt says all is over
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry says the companies have already paid the outstanding dues to the farmers.
The ministry’s spokesperson Dr Narayan Prasad Regmi says concerned district administration offices, industrialists and farmer leaders have not reported any payment yet to be made.
