RAWALPINDI, Jan 24: The district food controller on Thursday imposed a fine Rs20,000 on two flour mills and issued show cause notice for overcharging.

Al-Faisal Flour Mill in Rawalpindi and Alwahab flour Mill in Taxila were involved in selling 20-kg bag of wheat flour at Rs810 against the official price of Rs670.

District Food Controller Shabir Niazi told Dawn that the fine had been imposed on two flour mills and issued them show cause notice for selling the commodity at higher prices.

Commissioner Imdadullah Bosal took serious notice of the selling of wheat flour and asked the food department to impose fines on flour mills and shopkeepers who were involved in profiteering.

During a meeting held here at commissioner office to review the situation that emerged after the atta crisis, the commissioner said that the wheat flour should be sold at Rs670 per 20-kg bag otherwise strict action would be taken against the violators of the official price list.

He said that the special counters at district levels would be established so that the people could register their complaints against the high prices and non-availability of wheat flour.

The meeting was informed that there were 1,748 flour mills in all the four districts of the division, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal, and all these flour mills are provided 40,000 bags of wheat weighing 100 kg each daily.

The commissioner asked the food department to ensure that all the wheat provided by the provincial government should be utilised by the flour mills on daily basis. He said that the artificial shortage of wheat flour would not be tolerated.