October 17, 2006	Tuesday	Ramazan 23, 1427

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FAISALABAD, Oct 16: Some sugar importers are engaged in providing substandard quality sugar to markets after refilling it in bags of the local sugar mills brand.

The cheating was unearthed when the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) carried out an investigation after receiving complaints from various quarters.

Sources said that several sugar suppliers had been receiving complaints from consumers that the sugar being supplied to them was not luscious and injurious to human consumption.

Some of the suppliers, they said, had also squabbled with their customers. As a last resort these suppliers forwarded such complaints to officials of the association.

Reports said that association officials came to know after a market survey that some sugar importers were engaged in the unlawful business.

After its findings, source said, the PSMA had informed Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi that some importers were involved in providing substandard sugar to the market.

The association further informed the chief minister that importers mixed locally-made white refined sugar with the inferior quality imported sugar and refilled it in the polypropylene bags of the PSM brand.

Sources said the adulterated sugar was being supplied to the market with impunity and was sold on high rates.

The PSMA said that these black sheep were involved in adulteration only to gain heavy profits. The inhuman practice of importers would bring a band name to our local industry and the country as well.

Terming this practice a great threat to the public health, the association demanded that the government should take a stern action against the adulterators.

The chief minister, sources said, took a serious view of the situation and asked the Punjab Cane Commissioner to check this malpractice immediately.

They said the commissioner had directed DCOs to initiate forthwith action against the culprits involved in illegal practice under the relevant law.

A district officer said that the entire district had been directed to act against such unscrupulous elements.

He said the task was not facile, however, it would be done at any cost as desired by the Punjab chief minister. He did confirm the receiving of a letter from the mills association in this regard.

agri structure: As many as 854 million people in the world are facing food shortage while approximately 42 million Pakistanis have no access to adequate food owing to lack of resources.

Faisalabad University of Agriculture vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmed said this while speaking at a seminar organised in connection with the World Food Day.

The research department of the university and International Network on Participatory Irrigation Management (INPIM) organised the seminar.

Dr Bashir said scores of children below the age of five years were also facing food shortage that necessitated a change in agriculture structure and empowerment of rural population. He stressed the need for reduction in storage and post-harvest losses and said these sectors should be upgraded to meet future challenges.

INPIM executive director Dr Intizar Husain, said 36 per cent population in South Asia was living under the poverty line and facing food scarcity. This can only be controlled by equal distribution of resources among all segments of society, he said.

A number of teachers and students attended the seminar.