MIRPURKHAS, Nov 7: Thousands of workers in the interior of Sindh are facing financial hardships due to the delay in the start of sugarcane crushing season.

The crushing has not started in the province due to a tussle between the sugar mill owners and growers/federal government over a host of issues.

Since the workers have no work, their families too are suffering.

There are about 27 sugar mills in the province, including five in the district, where thousands of employees are engaged only seasonally on daily wages.

Due to the delay in the crushing season, they as well as their families were facing acute financial hardships.

FARMERS’ PROTEST: The tail-end growers of the Kunri minor continued their protest for the third consecutive day against irrigation officials and office bearers of the farmers’ organization of the minor.

Talking to newsmen, the protesters accused the office bearers of the farmers’ organization of Kunri minor of stealing water in connivance with irrigation officials. They regretted that despite having sent several letters of complaint to the SDO and XEN concerned, no action was taken regarding it.

power theft: An intelligence team of Hesco on Thursday caught a bangle factory owner stealing power in Lal Para.

The team found that the factory was running on a connection from house.

It also found another connection in the name of same consumer, Alauddin, which was disconnected three years ago under PDS (permanent disconnection) but it was running illegally with the connivance of Hesco officials.