DADU, Dec 4: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday reopened Dadu Sugar Mills Piaro Goth after 10 years.

Crushing process has also started at the mills. Dadu Sugar Mills was constructed in the public sector by the then prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, to facilitate growers. It started operations with 500 employees and in 1980 the number of employees rose to 1,150.

However, due to corruption and political interference, this public sector industrial unit was badly affected and was closed down in 1998.

All the employees working at that time were merged in health, education, irrigation, food and agriculture departments of the Sindh government.

Earlier, machinery of the mills was stolen, which had so far not been recovered. The closure of this unit affected the economy of the area from Piaro Goth to Phulji, which was supplying cane to this mill. The bazaar of Piaro Goth and Phulji wore a deserted look.

Speaking on the occasion, the Sindh chief minister said that all closed factories would be reopened for the uplift of the province areas and job opportunities would be created in the re-opened factories.

He said that this mill was privatised in the public interest and 600 people were appointed provided by mill administration, while hundreds of people would get labour work with start of the mill.

This mill was auctioned on high bid but now it was sold on low prices as its buyer, Hakeem Bashir Channa, purchased it for Rs400 million through auction but could not pay the full amount, hence it was sold to another party.

A sum of Rs500 million as loan for Dadu sugar mills was not recovered from growers, which was advanced to them for cultivation of sugarcane. There are reports that an amount of Rs300 million of 700 growers were outstanding against the mills who had supplied cane before 1998.

Hakeem Basher Ahmed Channa said that he had purchased this mill for Rs400 million a few months back but his bid was cancelled. He said that he had deposited Rs200 million and the remaining amount he wanted to pay in instalments but now it was sold for Rs90 million through a court auction.

The chief minister said that the outstanding amount would be paid to the growers. He said that the government was making all-out efforts in public interest. He announced construction of a model town at Piaro Goth.

He said that Rs1,000 would be paid to poor students as incentive while free books would be provided to them from class I to X.

He announced that at a cost of Rs3 billion, 300 villages would be electrified and gas would be provided to 200 villages. He also announced establishment of basic health unit, girls and boys’ schools for Piaro goth.

Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said that the PPP government was providing all facilities to the masses.

Minister for Industries Rauf Siddique said that remaining closed mills would also be reopened and said that if any one was ready to purchase closed sugar mills, the government was ready to sell those out.

He said that this mill was sold for Rs90 million which was not a low price. He said that the mill was lying closed and no public interest was being served.

Irrigation Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, State Minister for Food and Agriculture Rafique Ahmed Jamali and MD Dadu Sugar Mills Anwar Majeed also spoke.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah also laid foundation stones of Pir Illahi Bux Law College, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Science Management College and Shaheed Shahjehan Park.