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MIRPURKHAS, March 27: Sugarcane growers of Jhuddo and Digri talukas continued their protest on Monday outside the Najma Sugar mill against non-payment of outstanding dues of over Rs16 million.
About 300 sugarcane growers raised slogans against the mill owner. Sufi Ramzan and Mubarak led the protesters.
The management closed main gates of the mill and loaded tractor trolleys and trucks were parked outside the mill.
Heavy contingent of police were deployed to avert any untoward incident but the protesters were peaceful.
Farmers told Dawn that a few days back, Arbab Abdullah, the brother of Sindh chief minister, had held a meeting with their representatives, Sufi Ramzan, Sikandar, Mubarak and Shahid in the chief minister house.
The mill owners were also present and offered to issue cheques of April 15 for remaining payment of Rs16 million but representatives refused to take cheques in the light of past experience as the cheques were dishonoured, the protesters said.
They demanded that authorities should intervene in the matter and force mill owners to make payment to growers and warned that their protest would continue till payment.
FIRE: A bus and a house were burnt in different incidents on Monday in the city.
A welder was busy repairing bus (P-0063) when fire broke out which engulfed its body.
A fireman, Mohammad Saeed, received burn injuries and rushed to the civil hospital.
In another incident, fire broke out in the house of Wali Mohammad Khaskheli in Gulshan-i-Iqbal colony.
House articles were burnt.
