TAXILA, Sept 1: Shortage of wheat flour persists in various parts of Taxila and adjourning areas, belying claims of the provincial government that the commodity was easily available at the markets and utility stores.

The hardships of the people have been compounded as they complain that even the available atta is being sold at the higher prices than fixed by the government.

Taking to Dawn, a group of the residents of the city said that with start of the holy month of Ramazan the atta was running short in the markets and they feared worse time during the month.

Government officials are claiming that the flour supply at the markets is enough to cater to the needs of the people, but the latter say that the commodity was not even available at the government run utility stores.

There are six utility stores in the city but atta is not available at a single store, it has been learnt. Similarly, at the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) which is run under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defense in the Cantonment area, the wheat flour is being sold at Rs440 per 20kg bag against the official rate of Rs375.

At the open markets the commodity is being sold from Rs415 to Rs450 per 20kg bag in violation of the directives of the Punjab government which had issued the orders of selling the bag at Rs375 across the province.

The shopkeepers blame millers for the shortage, saying that they were not being provided the commodity at the controlled rates and allege that only favorite flour dealers are being regularly provided huge quantity of flour who are earning extra profit through hoarding and smuggling to adjacent areas of Hattar, Khan Pur and Hari Pur.

They claim that the food department officials are in league with the hoarders and smugglers that causes artificial shortage of the flour in the city.