HARIPUR: The food authorities and district administration here have cancelled the permits of almost all flour sale points which were set up in the district duringthe first wave of coronavirus last year, officials said here on Saturday.

The decision, according to traders, would affect the availability of subsidised flour in the market in the wake of new SOPs and restrictions during the third wave of Covid-19.

According to a list issued from the office of district food controller, Haripur, the district administration had set up 187 sale points across the district and each of thepoints wasallowed to sell 30 to 120 bags of 20kg each daily at Rs860 during the lockdown period of March last year.

However, according to food department sources, the food authorities abolished all the sale points except one each in the three sub-divisions and eight of mobile vans,which the people fear would force the consumers to buy flour from the local market at exorbitant rates.

When contacted, assistant food controller Shakil Ahmed confirmed the cancellation of flour sale points.

He said the wheat quota for Haripur had been reduced to 51 tonnes from 173 tonnes. Answering a question, he said that keeping in view the shortage of wheat the size of flour bag had been reduced to 10kg from 20kg and for ensuring its availability the authorities had started providing 3,723 bags (each of 10kg) at sasta bazaars and eight mobile vans in the district.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2021