Sugar crisis: Farmers' body to file contempt plea against mill owners
The farmers' representatives at the meeting complained that the government's response is tantamount to connivance with the mills. PHOTO: APP
The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has filed a contempt petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) against sugar mill owners for violating the court's order to purchase sugarcane at government-fixed rates. The court had given its verdict on December 28, 2014.
However, implementation of the order is still lacking as the sugar mills have filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the cane commissioner's office remains lax in ensuring compliance of the SHC order. A meeting of the SCA on Sunday, chaired by Dr Syed Nadeem Qamar, observed that though the SHC order has been challenged in the Supreme Court, the latter has not issued a stay order to the provincial government.
The farmers' representatives at the meeting complained that the government's response is tantamount to connivance with the mills.
The procurement of cane has been delayed by four months.
The Sindh Sugar Factories Control Act stipulates the process start from early October after the government notifies the price. In November 2014, the Sindh government fixed the sugarcane rate at Rs182 per maund but the mills are adamant to pay only Rs155.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.