Growers block roads to protest against sugar mills in Jhang

JHANG: A large number of farmers and sugarcane growers across the district Tuesday blocked Jhang-Sargodha Road and Multan Road in a protest against sugar mills owners who have stopped purchasing sugarcane crop.

The sugarcane growers raised slogans against the mils owners over halting the crushing of the sugarcane crop before completing the purchase from sugarcane growers. They also chanted slogans against the district administration. The protesters were holding placards inscribed with slogans for resolving their problems. They urged the government authorities to order sugar mills administrations to start purchasing of sugarcane crop and pay the growers Rs 180 for 40kg of sugarcane.

They accused the district administration of applying delaying tactics in terms of taking action against the administrations of sugar mills for exploiting the poor farmers.

Talking to reporters, the growers said the mills owners wanted to force the farmers to sell their sugarcane crop at a throwaway price.

They said if the local sugar mills did not resume purchase, they would spread their protest across the province. Due to the farmers’ protest, long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the Hawali Bahadar Shah bridge and Trimun bridge and cold weather multiplied the troubles of travellers.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tahir Wattoo in a handout stated that an urgent meeting with the representatives of the farmers and sugar mills managements has been called and the issue would be resolved soon. Local police officials were making efforts to urge protesting farmers to end the protest and restore traffic.