GUJRAT, Jan 25: Residents of Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin have been facing difficulty in getting flour in the open market because of the alleged artificial shortage by flour millers.

A survey carried out by Dawn revealed that retailers had been selling the commodity at higher rates due to alleged corruption by the millers. There are 18 flour mills in the two districts.

A number of retailers alleged that the flour mill owners had stopped the supply of the commodity to them on the pretext that they had to give it to the local administration for the chief minister's scheme to provide flour to the deserving families on subsidized rates.

Under the plan, the two district administrations have directed the millers to establish three fair price shops one of which at the doorstep of each mill. Gujrat has 39 fair price shops while Mandi Bahauddin has 15.

A source told this reporter that the millers had been selling a 20kg flour bag at Rs240 against the fixed price of Rs210 at shops. A bag was being sold for Rs245 to Rs250 in the open market while loose flour is available at Rs15 per kg.

A source in the local food department said the Punjab Food Directorate had been enhancing the wheat allocation quota regularly to the local millers to meet the demands of the inhabitants.

He said the daily wheat allocation quota to local 18 millers was 2,720 bags (each bag containing 100kg) from Oct 10 to Oct 16, 2003, when the higher authorities increased it to 3,740 bags.

The quota was later increased on Jan 1, 2004, to 6,120 bags after which it was reduced to 5,100 bags on Jan 6. He blamed the millers for the flour crisis created owing to artificial shortage of flour while they had smuggled the wheat to Afghanistan and tribal areas.

He also alleged that abrupt increase in the support price of wheat from Rs300 to Rs340 was attractive news for the millers, who had purchased huge stocks of wheat immediately after harvesting of the last crop and saved it at their secret godowns to create its artificial shortage only to mint money. The people have demanded the authorities concerned to take action against the millers and conduct raids at their secret godowns.