PESHAWAR, Sept 19: NWFP Food Minister Fazl Rabbani has said that special magisterial powers have been given to government officials to check adulteration and prices and quality of foodstuff.

He said it was necessary to check adulteration of food items, besides keeping a vigil on over-charging by shopkeepers, especially during the Ramzan. He said the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the Local Government Ordinance 2001 had been amended to delegate magisterial powers to district government officials to enable them to check quality of edible commodities and penalise those selling adulterated goods or charging exorbitant prices.

After the amendments, district coordination officers (DCOs) assistant DCO, Revenue Officers and District Food Officers (DFOs) would be equipped with magisterial powers and would conduct raids to ensure smooth supply of the food stuff at reasonable rates.

“In August, the department took action against 10,270 shopkeepers and received Rs2.2 million fine from them,” he said at a news conference here on Tuesday. He said 116 of the total 239 flour mills in the province were non-functional and efforts were afoot to make them functional.

He said under the Constitution, it was illegal to stop transportation of wheat in the country. He said rates of flour were stable in the province.

“We have chalked out a plan under which 3,020 kg wheat would be sold at the rate of Rs230 per 20 kg on Sundays in every provincial assembly constituency to benefit the poor,” he said, adding that MNAs, MPAs and nazims of the respective areas would supervise the sale to check misappropriation of the commodity.

About performance of the food department, he said so far 10,270 shopkeepers had been booked for different illegal practices.

“We are also increasing the prices of sugarcane to encourage and benefit growers before the start of crushing season,’’ he said.