HYDERABAD, Oct 25: Row between Atta Chakki Owners Association and the district government on wheat supply to Chakkis and enforcement of flour prices has come to an end after an agreement, allowing Chakki owners to sell flour at the rate of Rs24.50 per kg to retailers and retailers to sell it at the rate of Rs25.50 per Kg.

This was agreed at a joint meeting of representatives of the Chakki owners’ body, Shopkeepers Association, Sindh food department and Hyderabad district government at Shahbaz Building here on Saturday.

Sindh Food Minister’s Vigilance Team chairman Shah Nawaz Magsi assured the Chakki owners that he would recommend to the minister a raise in their wheat quota.

It was agreed by both the parties that representatives of Chakki owners along with members of vigilance team would visit each Chakki to see that banners depicting agreed flour price were displayed and its enforcement was enforced.

Participants of the meting agreed that all big Chakkis would maintain record of received wheat quota and sale of flour to retailers but the small units having no staff would be exempted from the exercise. However, cross checking of their business could be made at any time by the management concerned.

The management of Chakkis were made bound to submit list of shopkeepers to whom they provided flour and its quantity on daily basis.

Speaking on the occasion, DCO Ali Ahmed said that a one-rupee increase in flour price had been approved by the Sindh food minister on the Chakki owners’ assurance of selling flour to retailers at the rate of Rs24.50 per kg.

He said that now it was the duty of Chakki owners to honour their promise. He warned that if any Chakki owner or shopkeeper violated the agreement, he would be dealt with iron hand. He said that intelligence agencies, vigilance teams and special magistrates had been activated to pay surprise visits and take action against overcharging.

He said that the district government ad provincial food department were maintaining strict vigil over illegal shifting of wheat and whosoever was found involved in misappropriation of wheat quota, would be convicted according to law.