SUKKUR: Rice mills across Sindh and Balochistan remained closed on Sunday in protest against excessive loadshedding and alleged uncalled for remarks by the federal minister for water and power during his recent visit to the province.

A call for the strike was given by the Sindh-Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association SBRMTA.

Reports from Jacobabad and Kandhkot-Kashmore district as well as Garhi Khero, Dera Allahyar, Dera Murad Jamali, Osta Mohammad, Sohbatpur and other towns suggested that no rice mill was opened there on Sunday and thousands of daily wage earners remained without work.

Owners and management of various rice mills in Jacobabad took out a rally to condemn Water and Power Minister Abid Sher Ali’s remarks that loadshedding was increased in those areas where line-losses were high.

Speaking to the participants in the rally, which was taken out from Anaj Mandi and ended outside the Jacobabad Press Club, some mill-owners said that the minister had encouraged power utilities to cut off the industry’s lifeline on the pretext of power theft by a handful of consumers.

The protesters, who included workers and labourers associated with rice mills, were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the minister and Wapda.

SBRMTA president Abdul Aziz Abro, Sa’adullah Jamali, Munawwar Ali Khaskheli, Sohail Ahmed Kharani, Mashooq Ali Kharani, Harpal Das, Haji Sualeh Memon, Wali Mohammad and other leaders addressed the rally and said that all rice mills were promptly and regularly paying their monthly electricity bills and their collective payment to the power utility concerned amounted to over Rs3 billion per month. However, they said, adequate supply was not being made to them.

They said that excessive loadshedding was causing colossal losses to each rice mills and traders. The responsibility of the huge loss rested on Wapda, they added.

Rejecting the minister’s statement about power theft, they said no mill owner was stealing electricity.

They said industrialists were serious in running their mills and factories and contribute heavily to the national exchequer but it was possible only if the required quantum of power for their units was ensured.

Quoting Mr Ali’s statement that electricity would be supplied only to those who would pay their bills, the leaders said if the minister really meant that, all rice millers should be supplied electricity as per their payments.

They demanded uninterrupted power supply to their business concerns and correct billing against actual consumption.

They warned that if the ongoing excessive loadshedding continued, they would close their cities and towns to the minister during his visits to the province.

They also threatened to stop payment of their electricity bills if the situation was not improved on a priority basis.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2014