The Maharashtra State Sugar Commissioner’s office has fined 18 sugar mills that were found operating during the ongoing sugarcane crushing season without a licence, reports Financial Express.
As per the media report, State sugar commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said that these mills will have to pay up fines amounting to Rs 61 crore.
Every year, before the beginning of the cane crushing season, sugar mills apply for a crushing licence and the office of the sugar commissioner grants licence after checking the details like availability of cane and clearance of pending cane dues by the mill to the farmers. Sugar mills that operate without crushing licences are fined Rs 500 per tonne of cane crushed.
