RAHIM YAR KHAN: Twelve people, including farmers, were injured during a fight outside a sugar mills in Jetha Battha, 56kms from here, late on Friday night.

Reports said the clash opposite the Hamza Sugar Mills started when mills staff allegedly started deductions from the cane weight.

When farmers put up resistance against the illegal practice, the mills staff allegedly started beating some farmers who ran for safety.

Mill guards chased the farmers and beat them with clubs. After getting support from other farmers, farmers also attacked guards with clubs.

After a severe fight, some mill officers and farmers held talks.

There have been complaints of deduction in weight of sugarcane by some mills despite clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) announced by Deputy Commissioner Khurram Pervez, who on Friday chaired a meeting.

He instructed administrative officer, DO Industries and representatives of five sugar mills that during crushing season the farmers should be issued original CPRs.

Since farmers have been complaining that they are being forced to get temporary slips (CPRs), the DC said the administration will take action against mills. He also told all the sugar mills to ensure that there were no queues of cane-laden tractor trolleys on roads and park all the trolleys in their yards to avoid accidents.

DO industries Emmad Jatoi told this correspondent that fight between Hamza Sugar Mills staff and farmers was due to deduction in the announced rate by the sugar mills in which 15 persons were injured.

“However, there was no complaint of deduction in weight by any mill till now,” he said.

When contracted, Khanpur Assistant Commissioner Faiz Farid and Hamza Sugar Mills administrator Mr Sikandar did not attend phone calls for their comments.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2024