Yatnal sugar mill has paid a fine of Rs 1,500 crore to the federal government for not complying with environmental norms, says Eshwar Khandru.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has issued a closure notice to a sugar mill run by Siddashiri Suharda Sahakari Niyamit (SSSN), which is run by a cooperative bank, said BJP leader and Vijayapura MLA Basanagowda Patil.・Rejected Mr. Yatunal's claim. Eshwar Khandre, who is also the President and Minister of Forests, Ecology and Environment, said there was no political motive and the board was simply following the country's laws.

Speaking to the media in Kalaburagi here on Saturday, Khandre also revealed that the Union government had imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 billion on sugar mills for not complying with environmental norms, which the mills had paid.

meeting fallout

“In a Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) meeting a week ago, I had directed the authorities to take strict action against all factories violating environmental norms. was not even aware that Yatnal's sugar factory was one of the violators. Subsequently, KSPCB issued notices to many people, including Yatnal's factory operating in Chincholi taluk of Kalaburagi district. One thing: the law will take its course,” Candre said.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yatnal said nothing would be achieved by closing the factory “due to political pressure” and expressed his determination to take legal steps to reopen the factory.

“One-and-a-half years ago, the Union government imposed a Rs 1,500-crore fine on the factory for non-compliance with environmental norms, which Yatnal paid.The Centre's move, led by his own party, was also politically Was there a motive? Even after paying the fine, they were unable to obtain the necessary permits from competition authorities to operate the factory,” Kandol said.

Kandol further said that the factories in question were buying large quantities of sugarcane from farmers and crushing it to produce sugar and ethanol without obtaining the necessary permits from competition authorities.

In response to a question, Kandol assured that criminal proceedings would be filed against all factories that continue to operate in defiance of closure notices.

closure order

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (Sedum) Ashappa Pujari visited the factory and directed the factory authorities to shut down the factory immediately.

Pujari met with factory officials and took details of the sugarcane procured from farmers, which was then crushed to produce sugar and ethanol. He reviewed the documents and found various allegations of non-compliance.