HYDERABAD, July 3: The provincial Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hassan Ali Chanhio, paid a surprise visit to the Bulhari wheat godowns here on Wednesday and ordered immediate measures to prevent a damage to the stocks in the wake of monsoon season.

Briefing the minister about the condition of wheat stocks, the Director Food, Iqbal Zubaidi, dispelled the rumours that any of the wheat stocks at 42 godowns or laying in open in the district had been damaged or had become injurious to health.

He told the minister that 67 godowns at Bulhari had a total storage capacity of 100,500 tons. At present, he added, 52,612 tons of wheat had been stored in the 42 godowns.

He said that the fumigation would be started during the current month to protect the stocks against insects.

Mr Zubaidi said that arrangements were being made to shift the wheat, laying in open, to the Bulhari godowns.

Expressing his satisfaction over the condition of the wheat stocks, the minister said that there was still a margin of improvement, especially with regard to cleanliness of the godowns.

Mr Chanhio directed the deputy director and the district food controller to visit the godowns frequently and also keep a visitor’s book to record the impressions of the officials who would inspect the godowns in future.

Mr Chanhio directed the officials to get all the bushes around the godowns removed.

He said that immediate repairs be carried out at godowns if required and suggested launching of tree plantation campaign to protect them from dust.

All the senior food officials of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas districts were present on the occasion.