Pilibhit: The Uttar Pradesh sugarcane administration has tightened rules for sugarcane transport and procurement to protect farmers and reduce road accidents during the foggy winter season. The move follows a rise in accidents involving sugarcane-laden vehicles on highways and rural roads, reported The Times of India.
State Sugar and Sugarcane Commissioner Ministhy S has instructed all deputy cane commissioners, district cane officers and sugar mill managements in the state’s 45 cane-growing districts to strictly follow the new directions. Officials have been told to ensure that farmers are not charged any fee for loading or unloading sugarcane at mill procurement centres.
To improve road safety, the administration has ordered special drives to ensure that all tractor trolleys and trucks carrying sugarcane are fitted with yellow and red fluorescent paint strips. These markings are meant to improve visibility in dense fog and help prevent accidents. Sugar mills and departmental officials have also been asked to work closely with the police and transport department to make sure the measures are properly enforced.
Ashish Gupta, general manager of LH Sugar Mill in Pilibhit, said the mill had already marked more than 4,500 tractor trolleys entering its yard, along with vehicles at 70 procurement centres in nearby villages, within two days. He added that the process would continue throughout the crushing season, and vehicles would be repainted whenever the markings fade.
Assistant regional transport officer Virendra Singh said officials are making sure the fluorescent strips remain clearly visible even after the vehicles are loaded with sugarcane. He said regular checks are being carried out at procurement centres and mill premises, and noted that red flags fixed at the rear of cane vehicles have also helped improve visibility.
Officials said the cane commissioner has also ordered surprise inspections at procurement centres to stop irregular practices such as short weighing and diversion of sugarcane.
