HC refuses to reconsider ban on new sugar factories in Maharashtra

Mumbai, Nov 1 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today refused to reconsider its earlier order of restraining the Maharashtra government from issuing permission to any new sugar factories in the state, but expressed its willingness to relax the order to the extent of increasing capacity of the existing factories.

The High Court, while acting on a petition filed by one Ashok Kulkarni, had last year restrained the Sugar Commissioner from issuing permission to any new sugar factories in the state. The state government had moved an application seeking modifications in the restraining order, saying that the excess sugarcane production last year had become a serious problem, forcing the state government to intervene.

During a hearing of the application before a division bench, comprising Justice J N Patel and Justice Amjad Sayyad, Advocate General today urged the court to permit the state to open new sugar factories considering the expected surplus in the sugarcane production this year too. But the court turned down the request, saying that if it had to grant the permission now, it would be of no help for this season, as it had already started on October 1. It would take at least three to four years for the new factories to set up. At the same time, the court expressed its willingness to relax its order for enhancing capacity of the existing sugar factories.

Now, the matter will come up for further hearing on November 23.

UNI