LAHORE. The Punjab government has launched a province-wide crackdown against defaulter sugar mills.
In the first phase, the authorites raided at Pasrur Sugar Mills, Chinar Sugar Mills, Shakir Gung Sugar Mills and arrested their member of top management.
Chief cane Commissioner Punjab, Zaman Watto, told NEWSMAN by phone on Friday the the provincial government has initiated crackdown against chronic defaulter sugar mills for failing in clearing dues of the growers. A number of sugar mills have defaulted on dues payment to the growers for years. Even the district management does not act against the sugar millers for two reasons. First, the owners of sugar mills are in majority of cases from the ruling elite like Sharifs, Zardaris, Chaudharys of Gujrat etc. Second , Cane Commissioner offices always preferred greesing rather own interest than doing official duty honestly and take action against the defaulter sugar mills.
This is for the first time that the Cane Commissioner Office Punjab took a bold step and ordered action against those mills which have defaulted on payments to the cane growers.
“We have been receiving complaints from the growers of non payment by some of the millers. Such millers were issued notices to clear dues to the growers as per Sugarcane Act, but the defaulter mills simply ignored our notices that led to action and arrest of a few sugar mill owners
Mr Watto said ” The Punjab government will take action against other sugar mills which have not implemented orders of his office for payment of dues to the growers without any delay.
Meanwhile. Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) warned of serious backlash of taking action against the millers. Ch Zaka Ashraf chairman PSMA told a press conference that the Punjab government action against the sugar millers , who have invested Rs 15 billion in each sugar mill, was not acceptable. Ch Zaka Ashraf basically wanted to pose that anyone who invests billions in any project becomes over and above the law.
PSMA justifed historically high price of sugar in the country by saying “Higher cane prices will definately make sugar costlier for the end consumers”.
