SIALKOT-Dealers and middlemen have increased the wheat price to Rs1,350 from Rs1,300 per mound in the local markets.

According to local growers, the dealers and middlemen have increased the price by Rs50 increase in open markets due to much delayed official wheat selling policy through the Food Department.

The Punjab government has not yet announced its policy regarding the sale of the official wheat. The dealers and middlemen had bought the wheat yield at the rate of Rs1,250 to 1,300 per mound from the growers during this season. Now the dealers and middlemen are selling wheat at the inflated rate of Rs1350 per mound due to inordinate delay in the announcement of official wheat selling.

The local flour mills and the people are purchasing wheat on the inflated rates. The dealers and middlemen continue fleecing the people.

A bulk quantity of wheat is available in the markets of Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils.

According to the local senior officials of the Food Department, 4,322,000 bags of wheat worth Rs12.18 billion are stored in all the official and private warehouses of the Food Department.

But the department is awaiting the official policy to sell out the stock due to delay in the policy. Flour mills and people are forced to purchase wheat yield on exorbitant rates.

The local flour millers have expressed grave concern over the critical situation. They have urged the Punjab government to ensure early announcement of the official policy, enabling the Food Department to start the sale of wheat on the official rate in Sialkot region.

RESIDENTS SET SNAKES ON FIRE

Terrified residents burnt alive five dangerous snakes after dousing them with petrol following their failure to catch or kill the snakes.

The incident took place in village Ooncha Pahaarang, Pasrur tehsil here on Friday.

Reportedly, five big sized (about five to six feet long each snake) sneaked into houses from nearby fields and caused panic and fear among the residents.

The terrified people came out of houses and some of them tried to catch and kill the snake but they remained unable. Later, the snakes, reportedly some had two faces, entered streets' small sewerage lines there.

The terrified people blocked both ends of these lines. They threw petrol in the sewage line and set the snakes on fire.

People also filmed the fire and snake burning scenes as later these clips went viral on social media and whatsapp groups.