Detailed Instructions are issued by the Commissioner, Cane and Sugar during the crushing season, to ensure smooth supply of cane at the sugar mill gates and purchasing centers, as well as to impose effective control on under weighment with a view of wider interest of cane farmers.
Complaints are being received from various sources in the state that farmer’s interest is being affected by adopting fraudulent methods of under weighment of sugarcane. In which there is a nexus between the original weighing equipment manufacturer, software provider and AMC provider, while under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the relevant rules, 2011, it is mentioned that it is the responsibility of the software and hardware provider to make a tamperproof weighing instrument and software. It is the responsibility of the provider to keep the equipment and software error free when it is used for weighment.
Keeping in the view of the above provisions and in order to put an effective control over under weighment, the Commissioner, Cane and Sugar issued major guidelines for the crushing-session 2021-22, in case of any tampering and calibration found in the accuracy of the electronic weighing machine (web bridge), used for weighing sugarcane, then responsibilities of weighing equipment manufacturer, software provider and AMC provider will be fixed and action will be taken against them under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the relevant rules, 2011. All the operational sugar mills of the state as well as their hardware, software and AMC providers have also been informed in this regard.
During the crushing season, Inspection of sugar mills are being done by the ex-officio inspectors along with the Inspector authorized by Commissioner, Cane and Sugar, Uttar Pradesh, under the provisions of the UP Sugarcane (Supply and Purchase) Rules, 1954, Inspection of sugar mills gate and almost all the purchasing centers operated by them are done by these inspecting authorities.
It is also said by the Cane Commissioner, that in case of irregularities found during inspection by the inspecting authority, the action is taken under the provisions contained in the Sugarcane (Supply and Purchase) Act, 1953 and the UP Sugarcane Supply and Purchase Rules, 1954, by issuing notices against the defaulter sugar mills and weighing clerks by the concerned District Magistrate under the relevant section and relevant rules. Further security of forfeiture or prosecution in a competent court is done. Apart from this, action is being taken for suspension and cancellation of licenses of weigh clerks found guilty in under weighment.
Giving detailed information about the actions taken so far in current crushing season, the Cane Commissioner also informed that till date 22.12.2021, a total number of 213 irregularities were found in the inspections of mill gates and other cane purchase centers of various sugar mills operational in the state. Out of these, notices were issued to occupier of sugar mills and weighing clerks in 128 irregularities and licenses of 14 weighing clerks are suspended. Apart from this, 04 FIRs have been lodged in the cases of under weighment and illegal purchases of sugarcane have been registered. All the departmental officers have been directed by the Cane Commissioner to take strict action on all irregularities including under weighment as per rules.
