Uttarakhand: HC seeks clarification from state on charging double fees from flour mills

Uttarakhand high court (HC) on Wednesday sought clarification from the state govt on why flour mill owners in the mandis of Haldwani and Udham Singh Nagar are being charged fees twice. The petition, filed by Ashirwad Agro, Dwarka Roller Flour Mill, Guru Nanak Roller Flour Mill, SK Flour Mill, Mahavir Roller Flour Mill, Uttarakhand Roller Flour Mill, among others, alleges that the state is collecting additional fees in violation of Supreme Court directives.

According to the petition, mill operators are being forced to pay fees at both the point of purchase and at the mandi where they are registered. The petitioners cited a 2013 Supreme Court ruling “that states flour mills should only pay fees to the mandi from which they purchase wheat and other materials, not the one where they are registered”. They also claimed the state govt and mandi samitis continue to collect fees in breach of these directions.

A bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra has sought a response from the state govt and scheduled the next hearing for June 5.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.

By Pankul Sharma