KATHMANDU, JANUARY 20

The National Human Rights Commission has urged the government to help clear the due payments of sugarcane farmers as per the agreement reached with them.

The NHRC reminded the government that farmers had been paid only partially for their produce even after the passage of 21 days of the agreement.

Issuing a press statement today, NHRC Spokesperson Tikaram Pokhrel asked the government to bring to book the industrialists who had not paid dues to the sugarcane farmers. “The families of the dead farmer Narayan Ray Yadav and other farmers must be paid their due amounts pronto.

The sugar mills owners and industrialists who have not paid them on time have to face action.”

The NHRC has further urged all sides to respect and protect the rights of farmers. The human rights body stated that it was closely monitoring the status of the right to property of the sugarcane farmers from the Tarai, their demands and struggles.

It reached the house of sugarcane farmer of Sarlahi, Narayan Ray Yadav, who died in Kathmandu on December 29. It also garnered information about the socio-economic status of his family.

The province office of NHRC also made inspection visits to Dhanusha, Sarlahi and Mahottari and collected information to see if the agreement reached between the government and sugarcane farmers was implemented.