Chhatrapati cooperative sugar gets legal notice

PUNE: The Judicial Magistrate Court of IndApur issued a notice against Shri Chaatrapati Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd (SCSSK) for violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Draught and Pack Animals, 1965, by exceeding the allowable weight of 2,800 kilograms per bullock cart. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has informed through a press release. The sugar mills routinely use bullock carts for transporting sugarcane from fields closer to the factory for crushing purposes.

Sugar mills in Maharashtra are struggling to crush as much cane as possible before the monsoon rainfall stops the cane harvesting. Prashat Kate, president, SCSSK said, "We have no control on the harvesting contractors. It is not possible to weigh the bullock cart in the fields.

Yet, we have already issued a notice that bullock carts should not carry more than 1200 kg to 1400 kg of sugar cane." PETA has claimed that it obtained receipts of payments made to bullock-cart owners by the sugarcane factory that clearly indicate that loads were far in excess of the legal limit.