Rawalpindi - The supply of unhealthy flour to 10 Ramazan bazaars situated in cantonment and city collectively has created strong resentment among the people.
The inspection teams of food department collected samples of the flour being sold at Ramazan bazaars for verification.
The Punjab government has allotted a specific share of wheat to flour mills to ensure ample supply of quality flour to the Ramazan bazaars at subsidized rates. In this regard, the food department recently decided to supply 11,000 flour bags to the Ramazan bazaars on daily basis.
The food department received complaints that the flour mills are merging a large ratio of expired wheat flour with small quantity of good quality flour. The substandard flour is then supplied to the Ramazan bazaars.
Taking serious notice of the reports, Secretary Punjab Food Department, Dr Pervez has directed the district food department to take action against the owners of these flour mills and also examine the flour which is supplied to the Ramazan bazaars on daily basis.
District Food Controller Mehr Ijaz along with his team visited 10 Ramazan bazaars situated in the city and cantonment areas. He gave directives to the inspection teams to determine the weight of flour bags and also inspect the quality of flour. “The food department does not allow supply of unhealthy flour to Ramazan sasta bazaars and forbids any kind of compromise on the health of the people,” said Ijaz.
The inspection teams of the food department gathered 182 samples of flour from 46 flour mills. These samples were sent to the forensic laboratories for analysis. The Food department says the flour mills responsible for supplying substandard flour to Ramazan bazaars will be sealed.
The owners of these flour mills will be charged with heavy fine for playing with lives of the people and blowing dust into the eyes of the government while their allotted share of wheat will also be confiscated.