Sindh High Court (SHC) Wednesday ordered the provincial government to fix minimum sugarcane price per 40-kg before the start of crushing season 2019-20.
The court also sought the list of outstanding amount sugar mills owe to growers viz-a-viz the purchase of sugarcane in the last season and directed the govt to submit the same in the next hearing of the case when a division bench of SHC headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar. The court heard the petitions regarding sugarcane price and start of crushing season, filed by Murid Ali Shah Advocate and others in the court.
At the outset of the hearing, the court expressed its displeasure over the transfer and posting of cane commissioners repeatedly and ruled that court can make the transfer of Cane Commissioner subjected to court orders if official was repeatedly transferred.
Justice Muzhar remarked an official posted as Cane Commissioner is transferred as soon as he starts acquainted himself with the issues. "How the issues would be settled if Cane Commissioner office postings and transfers after very short period," he observed.
Court also inquired from official of Agriculture Department the rationale for rapid transfer of Cane Commissioner, at which official showed ignorance.
Agriculture Department official submitted that Services & General Administration Department Sindh made the transfers and postings under the directions of Chief Secretary Sindh.
Court asked why Agriculture Department didn't know about it. "Whether Chief Secretary office has become so powerful that it didn't even consult Agriculture Secretary over transfer of Cane Commissioner," the bench remarked.
The court ordered Sindh Government for posting Cane Commissioner and also directed it to let the commissioner work when advocate Murid Ali Shah told the court that Cane Commissioner charge is given to official, who is also burdened with other official assignments.
About the start of crushing season, the court ordered sugar mills to notify the igniting of boiler one before the start of crushing season. Court ruled that notification should be sent to Cane Commissioner as well as should be display at the gates of sugar mills.
Counsels for sugar mills assured the court that its orders would be complied with by issuing the notification for heating the boilers one month before the start of crushing season.
About payment of outstanding dues of sugar growers, court ruled that it would summon the owners of sugar mills to pay the amount. Court ordered that the list related to dues of sugar growers should be submitted with the court in the next hearing, which would be held on November 19, 2019.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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