GUJRAT, Oct 10: Fearing a crackdown from the district government, most of the owners of hotels and roti selling points called tandoors have closed their business, according to a Dawn survey. The administration, however, says roti is being sold at Rs2 each at 250 tandoors in the district.

Restaurants at GTS Chowk, general bus stand, Kutchery Chowk, Alipur Road and GT Road near Industrial Estate and many tandoors in and around the city have been closed for the past two days after the district administration threatened them with fine if they did not sell roti at Rs2.

Some hotels and tandoors situated near Jail Chowk, Court Road and Bhimbher Road are selling roti at Rs2 each as these areas are situated near the residences and offices of the district administration.

Muhammad Anwar, owner of a hotel on Jinnah Road, has closed his business after reports of the crackdown.

Talking to Dawn, he said the subsidised flour being supplied to them was substandard while good quality flour available in open market was too costly.

He said ever increasing prices of fuel had compounded their miseries and it was hard for them to sell roti at Rs2.

“I cannot face raids and fine by the administration. So the best way to avoid loss and government’s wrath is to close business till the situation improves,” Anwar said.

District Information Officer Ahmed Naeem Malik, also a member of the special monitoring team, claimed 250 tandoors and hotels in the district offered roti at the price of Rs2 each and flour mills were providing a 20kg flour bag at the price of Rs250.

He said that special monitoring committees besides magistrates were checking the weight and quality of Rs2 roti.