BAHAWALPUR, Oct 8 In order to help overcome sugar shortage in the province, seven mills in Bahawalpur division on Thursday began collective supply of 1,568 metric ton daily to 15 Punjab districts.

Commissioner Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmed said this during a press briefing here on Thursday.

According to him, the sugar supply was in pursuance of a Punjab government directive seeking implementation of Supreme Court order to sell the commodity at Rs40 per kilogram.

He said the upper Punjab districts were being give quota of 37 per cent of the total supply while Bahawalpur division would get 38 per cent.

The districts to be supplied sugar from the division included Jhelum (48 metric ton), Chakwal (55 metric ton) Sheikhupura (111), Bhakkar (57), Khushab (46), Mianwali (56), Sahiwal (96), Okara (119), Pakpattan (69), Multan (170) Vehari (114), Lodhran (104) and the three districts of Bahawalpur (482 metric ton). Many of the districts had no indigenous production of sugarcane, he added.

The commissioner said there were five sugar mills in Rahim Yar Khan district, while Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar district had one sugar mill each.

He said to ensure smooth sugar supply from the division, a comprehensive network of the administration, dealers and transporters had been evolved.

The DCOs would issue permits to the enlisted dealers having national tax number and CNICs, who would get sugar at Rs38 per kilogram from the mills located in the division.

Government officials had been deputed in all sugar mills to handle the supply and streamline the process, the commissioner said.

He said in 417 raids conducted on Thursday magistrates slapped heavy fines and arrested profiteers.

WALKS The social welfare department and Rescue 1122 Emergency service arranged separate walks in the city on Thursday in connection with the National Disaster Awareness Day.

The walks arranged in collaboration with different social bodies began from Farid Gate and concluded at Fawara Chowk.

District Social Welfare Officer Ms Qamar Shafi and Rescue 1122 in charge Dr Asif Channar, addressed the respective participants of the walks.