October 14, 2006	Saturday	Ramazan 20, 1427

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ATTOCK, Oct 13: Punjab food department secretary has sought a report from the district food department through deputy director food, Rawalpindi region, about poor storage of wheat stock in Attock district, resulting in loss of the precious commodity, sources said.

Taking strict notice of a news item published in the metropolitan section of Dawn on Friday about loss of wheat stock in Attock due to lack of storage facilities, the provincial secretary, Raja Ahsan, directed deputy director Rawalpindi Dr Ambar to seek detailed report from the district food department Attock.

The deputy director was also told to probe the matter and submit a report to the secretary’s office at the earliest. It is being expected that after the submission of the report, the food department would take measures to ameliorate the situation and take to task officials guilty of pertaining negligence towards wheat storage, the sources added.

When contacted, deputy director food Dr Ambar said following the secretary’s directives, district food controller Attock had been asked to explain his position on the issue by submitting a detailed report.

“We have already taken measures regarding storage of wheat at godowns of Attock district, however, the situation would be further improved by utilising available resources,” he said.

He said like in Attock district, such open-air temporary storage arrangements had also been made in other districts of Punjab province, where about 1.8 million tons wheat was being stored. But the department adopts proper storage procedure at the godowns, incurring a cost of Rs600 annually on per ton storage arrangements, which include carriage, fumigation, cover of tents, plastic sheets and bricks platforms, Dr Ambar said.

Rejecting the impression that there was no one in the department to check irregularities, he said strict monitoring system was in place to ensure proper storage, issuance of quality wheat stock to the mills owners and supply of hygienic wheat flour to the consumers.

The food department also keeps a strict check on wheat flour quality through surprise visits to flour mills and by testing samples, he claimed.