Non-payment of dues to growers: cases registered against management of five sugar mills

District Co-ordination Officers of Faisalabad, Sargodha and Nankana on the special direction of the Chief Secretary Punjab got registered cases against the management of five sugar mills for non-payment of dues to sugarcane growers despite several warnings.
Secretary Food Punjab Sqn Ldr Muhammad Irfan Elahi (Retd) told APP here Thursday that all defaulting sugar mills were warned categorically to clear their liabilities towards sugarcane growers within one week failing which they will be booked.
He said DCOs got registered cases under section 403-406 PPC and Section 21 and 22 of Punjab Sugar Mills Factory Control Act 1950 against the occupiers, share holders, management of Abdullah Sugar Mills, National Sugar Mills Sargodha, Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, Nankana and Gujra-Sumandri Sugar Mills and Crescent Sugar Mills, Faisalabad.
He said that out of total outstanding of Rs 655 million only Rs 294 million were pending against 11 sugar mills. He said that other remaining defaulting sugar mills had started payments to growers while few of them totally cleared their dues to farmers.
Cane Commissioner, Punjab, Shahid Hussain Chaudhary told that all the sugarcane growers whose payment had not so far been cleared by any sugar mill must see personally or send their complaints through post, or fax at 042-9210520, or email to the Cane Commissioner or DCO concerned for immediate payment. Chief Secretary Javed Mahmood in order to facilitate the growers has empowered all DCOs, Additional Cane Commissioners to address the problems of the farmers.