RAWALPINDI- Acute shortage of flour still persists in various parts of the city on the contrary to tall claims of the government. The dearth of the commodity in Pindi city is making bad to worse the daily life of the dwellers with each passing day, TheNation has learnt during a survey on Monday. The government officials are claiming that flour supply to markets is enough to the needs of the citizens, but the fact is that not only are general markets facing shortage of the daily use item, but the government owned Utility Stores also seem unable to meet the growing demands of the people. The utility stores in Tench Bhatta, 502 Workshop and Chaklala Scheme III are virtually devoid of the commodity. Even, in the markets where flour is available, it is being sold at Rs 415 to 450 per 20 kg bag in sheer violation of the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif who had ordered for selling 20kg flour bag at Rs 375 across the province. During the survey, shopkeepers and flour dealers blamed millers for this so-called shortage of the edible commodity, saying they were not being provided with flour as per their requirements on government controlled rates. They also flayed the policies of City District, federal and provincial governments, complaining that government high ups were paying no heed to poverty-stricken segments of the society. The markets of Morgah, Lal Kurti, Tench Bhatta, 22 Number Chungi, Misrial Road, Bakra Mandi Chowk, Tahlimuri, Dhoke Seydan Road, Adaila Road, Dhamial Road, Hayyal Village, Tipu Road were found lacking the basic need of every household. In this connection, when asked, a flour dealer at RA Bazaar, said that mill owners gave him 20 kg bag of flour at the rate of Rs 390 and he would have to sale it at Rs 415. Musarat Shah, the owner of MA Javad Traders at Dhoke Seydan Road, stated that he had not been supplied flour for the last one month. "When I contacted the millers and complained of shortage of the flour, they explained their inability to provide flour on government's controlled rate" he alleged. We procured wheat at high price from the far-flung areas of the province. The prices of petroleum products had surged also. In this situation, it was difficult for us to provide flour to the shopkeepers or dealers on controlled rate, said a flourmill owner, insisted to not mention him. "We can only provide flour to the government on fixed price but not in the general markets" he further said. Several shopkeepers of Adaila Road, when approached, were of the views that Bilal Traders, also a flour dealer, did not supply them with flour according to their requirements. When contacted, Akbar, owner of Bilal Traders, said that he himself was awaiting flour supply by flourmills. He said that he had got 300 flour bags, weighing 20 kg per bag, about 10 days ago and sold them at Rs 375. "Adiala Road's condition has got bad to worsen in this regard" he said. Another shopkeeper at Bakra Mandi, on the request of anonymity, told that the flourmills owners were only supplying the flour to the shopkeepers or dealers of such areas where price majesties have no access. "No one in the power corridors to rub the balm on the injuries of ill fate nation" he asserted. Two trucks of flour were seen at Tench Bhatta and Adiala Road providing flour to the consumers on government controlled rate, which is not in conformity to the population of about one million of the city. Ironically, two officials, namely Imran and Munawar, of the department, who supply commodities to Utility Stores at region level, were busy in purchasing flour bags from the government's truck. They, confiding to the scribe, said that flour was available at Utility Stores. That is why they had bought the flour bags. The USCs staff said that they were not being supplied flour for many days. They said that they had to send their customers towards governments' trucks to buy flour. "The supply of flour is not proper. The flour shortage can be end only than when flourmills owners will supply flour to the dealers as per their requirements" Rawalpindi Atta Dealers Association (RADA) President M Zahoor Bhatti commented. He further said that 300 to 400 flour bags were given to dealers 15 days ago, which now has reduced to 50 bags per day. How could overcome on this shortage in this way, he questioned. The administration should tight it grip on flourmills owners instead of poor dealers or shopkeepers to eliminate the so-called flour shortage, RADA President said. DCO Jamal Mustafa Syed and District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas, despite of several attempts, could not be contacted by this scribe. It seemed that the officials of the government's formed committees as well as of the check points, have been erected at various points of the city to keep vigil eye on wheat movement and price, have closed their eyes in this regard.