March 7: Seven years have elapsed since the local sugarcane farmers of Kapilvastu have waged a struggle to recover their dues from the defaulting sugar mills. During this period, farmers have repeatedly submitted memorandum and staged protests to put pressure on the government to address their demands. However, their demand have not been addressed as of today.    
On Monday, the agitating farmers handed over a memorandum to the government through the Area Administration Office Chandrauta demanding payment of the due amount.

The farmers said that they put forth the demand after the sugar mills failed to make the payment as per the decision of the government in the fiscal year 2071/72.    
The government fixes the sugarcane price every year but the local businesspersons do not pay price to the farmers, said Kapilvastu Farmers Association’s Chairperson Anup Kumar Chaudhary, urging the government to pay attention to this situation.    
In the memorandum, the farmers have included 10 separate demands, including arrangement of irrigation, waiver in customs duty for the purchase of tractors and establishment of sugar mill. -- RSS