LAHORE, Nov 12: The Punjab Food Department on Monday sealed five more mills for selling flour at higher than the agreed price and indulging in inter-mill trade instead of grinding.

According to department officials, millers in Sargodha and Mianwali districts could not prove their grinding claims as their electricity bills fell short of claims during the grinding period.

According to departmental calculations, five mills — Sargodha, Rehman, Kissan and Makhdoom (Sargodha district) and Azeem Flour Mills (Mianwali) — were found at least 900 bags short of their grinding claims.

“The department has decided to seal these mills till further orders, and their daily wheat quota (some 91 tons) will be allocated to other mills, which are honestly grinding all the wheat,” an official said.

The Monday’s closure of five mills brings total to 17 during the last two days.

The official said the 378 ton quota spared by 12 mills closed on Sunday, would also go to the rest of the mills.

“The total available quota to the mills is around 15,661 ton, but they are lifting only 14,360 ton.” —Staff Reporter