Delay in sugarcane crushing: DCs in Punjab directed to register FIRs against six mills

LAHORE: The Cane Commissioner Punjab has directed the additional cane commissioners/deputy commissioners to get First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against six sugar mills for ‘deliberately failing’ to start crushing of the sugarcane on a date specified by the provincial government.

The Punjab Food Department had notified the date of start of sugarcane crushing not later than 25th November, 2022 through a notification issued on November 18, 2022.

However, 10 mills failed to start crushing sugarcane till the specified date and were issued notices by the cane commissioner office to submit the reasons for delay in the start of the crushing till November 30, 2022. Sources in the provincial food department told Business Recorder on Friday that all the 10 mills filed their submission on the given date citing different excuses and reasons for not starting the crushing.

The sources said that replies of four out of the total 10 mills were found satisfactory to some extent while excuses submitted by other 6 mills which include fault in boilers, delay in starting initial preparations etc were not found holding any cogent legal reasons.

Therefore, the Cane Commissioner Punjab, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under Section of 21 of the Punjab Sugar Factories (Control) (Amendment) Act 2021 found that the mills had deliberately failed to start crushing on a date specified by the government. So, the additional cane commissioners/deputy commissioners of respective districts of these six mills have been asked to lodge FIRs against the owners/occupiers of these mills for not starting the crushing of sugarcane in violation of Section 8 of the Punjab Sugar Factories (Control) (Amendment) Act 2021.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022