HYDERABAD, Dec 22: Wel-coming the Sindh government’s decision to fix minimum price of sugarcane at Rs60 per 40kg, president of the Sindh chapter of the National Labour Federation, Rana Mehmood Ali, has condemned closure of sugar mills by owners in protest against new price.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, he said under labour laws, sugar mill owners could not close factories as it was defined as “illegal lockout”.

He said the labour department was fully authorized under labour laws not only to take legal action against factory owners in labour courts or the National Industrial Relations Commission but also seek injunction against sugar mills.

He advised the labour department to immediately proceed against the sugar mills.

Supporting the demand of growers, he said if they were to commence production themselves, sugar mill workers would fully cooperate in the process.

The NLF leader demanded that the Sindh government should impose section 144 CrPC to end illegal lockout by mill owners and order arrest of those who tried to violate section 144 CrPC.