Pune: State Sugar Commissioner’s office has fined nine sugar mills for commencing operations without taking a requisite crushing licence. According to the media report, the total quantum of fine amounts to nearly Rs 38.13 crore.
Out of these nine mills, four are from Pune, two from Sangli and Solapur each and one from Satara. Seven mills belong to cooperative whereas two are from the private sector.
Every year the sugar mills are allowed to start operations only after they acquire a crushing license from the department. The sugar commissionerate checks the details related to the availability of the cane and clearance of the pending cane dues before granting a crushing license to the concerned sugar mill.
Using the crushing license as a tool the department ensures that the cane farmers get their cane bills in time. The mills that fail to clear cane dues do not get cane crushing licenses.
If any mill violates these rules and starts cane crushing operations then then it attracts a fine of Rs 500/tonne of the cane crushed.
