HARIPUR: The Food Department on Tuesday established 47 sale points in the Haripur city and surrounding areas where the consumers would get atta at subsidized rates.
Official sources said the step had been taken to discourage hoarding and overcharging. According to a list of authorized dealers issued, each sale point would be supplied with 6000 bags of 20 kg of fine quality wheat flour daily. Assistant Food Controller Haripur Shakil Ahmed told newsmen the consumers would get a 20 kg bag for Rs 808 compared to the market rate of Rs 1000 to 1100.
He said efforts were underway to ensure that there was no atta shortage in the district, especially during the lock-down period. The official said the Food Department with the support of district administration had evolved a plan to discourage hoarding and price hike. He said Assistant commissioners and officials of Food Department would supervise the distribution process of atta for ensuring transparency. To a question, he said although there was no shortage of wheat flour as the goods transport had been exempted from the ban.
However, he added, in case the atta supply from Punjab was stopped, the Haripur district had enough stock of wheat to cater to the needs of residents. The official said the official Food godowns have 30,000 bags each of 100 kg of wheat for meeting the need for the next one month while the federal government had also approved the release of 30,000 bags which was expected to reach Haripur in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, like other parts of the Hazara division, the Haripur district witnessed a partial lock-down with business and social activities coming to almost a halt position here on Tuesday.
The police blocked entry and exit points in the district on the first day of suspension of inter-district public transport. The traffic police wardens were observed exchanging harsh words with motorists and drivers. At some points, the media persons riding motorbikes also faced problems crossing the police pickets. Meanwhile, according to a press release issued from the office of District Police Officer Syed Ashfaq Anwar, the traffic police impounded at least 50 public transport vehicles for violating the ban. Whereas at least 25 owners of wedding halls, shops and hotels were booked under Section 188 of the CrPc and outlets sealed on charges of violating the section 144 CrPc that was imposed to discourage social gatherings in the district.
