Ethanol: TN Sugar Mills, Cane Farmers Bet on Legal Remedy
by R Balaji (The Hindu) Cash-strapped sugar mills and sugarcane farmers are pinning their hopes on a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court to enable them to participate in the Centre’s ethanol-blended fuel programme in the coming year.
Last week, oil marketing companies called tenders from the sugar industry to supply over 200 crore litres of ethanol for the national ethanol-blended fuel programme.
But, with the programme not taking off previously in Tamil Nadu because of State government policy, sugar mills and farmers are betting on a legal resolution to the issue to enable them to participate in the current tender.
On Wednesday, responding to the PIL filed earlier this year by the Consortium of Indian Farmers Association (CIFA) representing sugar farmers, the High Court insisted that an independent committee may be formed to look into the implementation of the programme in Tamil Nadu. READ MORE