TAXILA, Oct 21: The flour mills mafia in Taxila has created an artificial shortage of wheat flour and started selling the commodity at exorbitant rates without any check.

Over 13 flour mills are working in the revenue limits of Taxila but due to poor monitoring, the millers in connivance with smugglers and hoarders have created an artificial shortage of the commodity.

The mills have allegedly stopped flour supply to the market while some of them are supplying flour to dealers who offer them higher prices.

A number of shopkeepers and retailers told this correspondent that the official ex-mill price of the 20kg bag was Rs410 but most of the millers owned by influential people were providing it to them at Rs490 to Rs500 per bag.

The shopkeepers alleged that when they went to the flour mills, they were issued less quantity of flour and forced to sign a receipt showing full quantity. Those who refused to comply with their instructions were not issued flour on different pretexts.

The Punjab government had engaged officials of some security agencies to monitor and evaluate the working of flour mills in order to curb hoarding and profiteering but the officials who belonged to the police department did not take any action against the flour mills involved in hoarding, profiteering and smuggling after allegedly taking bribe from them.

Due to this sorry state of affairs, the flour crisis in the rural as well as urban areas is worsening with each passing day, making it impossible for the masses to get this basic commodity in the open market at the official rate.

As Taxila is situated at the junction of Punjab and NWFP, it has become the hub of flour smuggling to different parts of the NWFP including the Hazara division. Sources said mill owners charged Rs410 and Rs420 for a 20kg bag from retailers here, while in Khanpur, situated just 17 kilometers from Taxila, it is sold for Rs530. In Peshawar, the price is stated to be Rs750 and at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border ranges areas from Rs930 to Rs1,000.

During a market survey conducted by this correspondent, it was observed that the atta shortage that started in December is still continuing, resulting in long queues in front of utility stores and trucks selling the commodity at the subsidised rates.

It was observed that the local administration and the food department have failed to ensure smooth supply of flour in the towns.

Sources said the situation worsened after the government increased the support price of wheat by Rs300 to Rs950 per 40 kg. While the decision was welcomed by farmers, it put an extra burden on the consumers who have to pay more for this basic commodity.

Meanwhile, the local police on Tuesday arrested a flour smuggler and confessed a huge quantity of the staple food.

Officials said the food department personnel with the assistance of the local police foiled a bid to smuggle 210 bags of flour from Taxila to NWFP via Hazara and impounded a vehicle.

A case was registered against the flour smuggler, identified as Sabir, under the food act.