RAHIM YAR KHAN/VEHARI: ‘Unfair’ distribution of gunny bags and illegal’ deduction in weight of wheat bags are the main problems farmers are facing in Vehari and Rahim Yar Khan areas.

As many as 20 [wheat purchase] centres in Rahim Yar Khan, Liaqatpur and Sadiqabad tehsil have been set up where the Punjab food department is purchasing the commodity from farmers. The procurement target is 2.4 million bags while in Khanpur tehsil Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation is responsible for purchase.

Abdul Qayyum, a farmer at Chak 64-P Iqbalabad, told this correspondent that officially the food department employees were asked to deduct 115 grams on 50 kg [plastic] bag because an empty [bag] weighed 115 grams but the farmers were allegedly forced to bring 51 kg grain. “In this way the staff is illegally getting 885 gram wheat.”

“Similarly, a jute bag [100kg capacity] weighs 1 kg. The food department employees are asking farmers to bring 102 to 102.5 kg against 101 kg weight,” Qayyum said.

There are only two computerised weigh bridges at wheat centres and the remaining 18 outlets have manual [weighing] machines which [always] measure wrongly.

Rahim Yar Khan Kissan Board Pakistan President Chaudhry Riaz Cheema has criticised the [illegal] practice of food inspectors and warned that if farmers were not given accurate weight of their produce, they would take to the streets. When contacted, District Food Controller Mian Mehboob Akhtar did not reply.

In Vehari, wheat growers belonging to various villages staged a protest demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner office against what they alleged unfair distribution of gunny bags.

Farmers under the flag of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad ( Khalid Khokhar group) on Monday staged a sit-in on Multan Road and blocked traffic for five hours. Speakers condemned the gunny bags distribution policy of the Punjab government.

Vehari PKI President Iftikhar Chaudhry alleged that the food department and Passco had distributed most of the bags to wheat traders and ‘influential’ people.

Mr Iftikhar said the food department registered a ‘fake’ FIR against three growers under section 3/6 of Food Green Control Act 1958. He demanded quashment of the FIR.

DFC Ali Imran and Passco officials claimed that bags were being distributed on merit and denied allegations [of unfair distribution].

Later, on the assurances of DSP Saddar Imran Rashed, AC Vehari Asif Shah and ADC Revenue Khizar Hayat, the protesters dispersed.

Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yaseen also visited various procurement centres, including PR- Centre, Bini-Shell, Machiwal, 481/WB, and Adda Ghulam Husain.

Published in Dawn, May 09th, 2017