April 08, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1429

LAHORE, April 7: Flour will be available at 100 points in all the nine towns of Lahore from Tuesday (today) at Rs300 per 20 kilo bag.

Outside every flour mill, some 9,000 bags of 20 kilo would be on sale in addition to another 11,000 sacks at all the big stores of the city at the fixed price, district coordination officer Sajjad Ahmad Bhutta said on Monday during his maiden meeting with flour mill owners, special magistrates and town municipal officers (TMOs).

He said all magistrates and TMOs would directly purchase flour from millers and ensure that at least 80,000 bags of 20 kilo should reach all the sale points.

He directed that the fixed price of Rs300 per 20 kilo flour bag should be prominently displayed at all the sale points.

Sajjad directed the food department officials to keep a vigil on the flour quality and ensure on-time grinding of all the wheat supplied to mills from government godowns. Strict action would be taken against the mills officials found involved in any malpractice in this regard.

Special magistrates earlier informed the DCO that 10 traders were arrested either for hoarding or selling flour more than the fixed price while a fine of Rs218,000 was imposed on 33 shopkeepers.

Food department officials said of the 79,680 flour bags sent to various parts of the city, 67,946 were sold at the fixed price.

—Staff Reporter