RAWALPINDI - Contrary to tall claims of the district government, the flour shortage once again hit the city and citizens are facing immense problems while getting this basic commodity. The district administration has closed its eyes from the critical situation as it has completely failed to manage the provision of flour on fixed rate to the masses as well as dealers and shopkeepers. Unfortunately, flour is not being supplied to Utility Stores across the city, which speaks volumes of the authorities' negligence. On other hand, flour has also been vanished away from the general markets and bazaars of Bakra Mandi Chowk, Dhamial Road, Adiala Road, Chungi Number 20, Mumtaz Market, Ali Town, Munawar Colony, Kehkashan Colony, Gulshanabad, Dhoke Seydan, Tahli Mohri, Girja Road, Hayyal Village, Lal Kurti, Jhanda Chechi, Morgah, Dhoke Elahi Bux, Ariya Mohala, Nadeem Colony, Sadiq Abad, Shakeriyal, Muslim Town, several towns of Raja Bazaar and Gawal Mandi.     The district government should be active and hoarders must be brought to book as some shopkeepers are selling 20kg flour bag at Rs 470 to 500. Mian Kaleem, a milk seller, while talking to TheNation said he has been searching for flour for the last three days but failed to get the commodity. He said that only few shopkeepers, who had hoarded the commodity, were selling it at the rate of Rs 500 per 20kg bag. "The rate is out of my range," he added. This sorry state of affairs also an eye opening for Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif who had claimed to provide "Roti" at the price of Rs 2 across the province. "First of all the chief mister should provide atta to all then should kick off other development works," he lamented. A shopkeeper Liaquat Hussain said that now a days it was Herculean task to get flour bags from flourmills. He said that the shortage of flour still persisted despite raids by special price magistrates in the markets. "City district government should take some solid steps to assure the provision of flour," he demanded. When contacted, Rawalpindi Atta Dealers Association (RADA) President Muhammad Zahoor Bhatti claimed that there was no shortage of flour in the city after Raja Baber assumed charge as District Food Controller (DFC) and flour was being supplied to all in maximum quantity.    He said that flour's smuggling was also under control as authorities took stern action against the smugglers. When attention of District Coordination Officer (DCO) Imdad Ullah Bosal was invited to the prevailing situation in the district, he denied the impression that there was any shortage of flour in the city. He said that the basic commodity was being supplied to all dealers and shopkeepers on daily basis with a strict check and balance by special price magistrates to avoid hoarding. "We have also cancelled the daily quota of some 4 flourmills after receiving reports against their involvement in malpractice," he added. He said that the provision of flour to the whole district was being monitored by him personally, adding some 76,000 flour bags were being provided to general markets except the special sale points set by the district government. He said that after public complaints, the quota of Sarhad Flourmill has been cancelled over poor quality of flour.    "We have supplied some 2,10,233 flour bags of 20kg to each general market dealers during the last three days," he claimed.