TOBA TEK SINGH, July 7: The government is allegedly forcing the growers, who bought gunny bags from the food department to supply wheat through its purchase centres, to return the bags they did not sell according to promise.

It is learnt on Monday that the growers, who are upset over this, were of the view that how could they sell their wheat to the department when its (product’s) price in the open market was higher than the government’s. The wheat price in the open market was Rs325 per 40kgs compared to Rs300 per 40kgs fixed by the government.

They said these bags could be purchased any time from the market for Rs25 to Rs30 per piece, but they paid Rs50 for each bag containing the food department’s special marks. The department should accept the unused bags from them and return their security amount, the cultivators demanded.

When contacted, a food department official claimed that more than 22,000 gunny bags lying with the farmers could be returned only if they were filled with wheat.

The food department had fixed 80,000 tons wheat procurement target in the district, but it could purchase only 69,867 tons.

INQUIRY DEMANDED: A union council through a resolution demanded the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment director-general and district Nazim to hold an inquiry into alleged corruption in the construction of the TMA’s offices.