The Supreme Court on Monday asked the state-owned and the private sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh to pay the cane farmers a price of Rs 110 a quintal for the current season.
In its interim order, the bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat asked the sugar mills to make the payment within a month.
On September 1, the apex court had refused to stay the Allahabad High Court judgement that asked sugar mills to pay the state-advised price (SAP) of Rs 125 to 130 a quintal for the 2007-08 season. The high court while upholding the SAP of Rs 125 to 130 a quintal had modified its interim order that asked mills to pay Rs 110 a quintal. It had also asked the sugar mills to pay the difference of Rs 15 a quintal by September 6.
The Supreme Court had earlier refused to accede to the request of sugar mills to extend the time by two more days for making the payments till the matter is heard on Monday.
