HYDERABAD, July 21: DCO Ali Ahmed has accused the deputy director of food of failing to set up 24 flour stalls in the district, in compliance with the orders of provincial minister for food, and urged high-ups to replace him.

He said at a meeting on supply of flour and enforcement of official prices at his camp office on Sunday that the deputy director did not bother to attend meetings convened by him from time to time on flour crisis. No officer of food department attended even that day’s meeting though they had been invited.

The DCO urged the food department high-ups to replace as soon as possible the deputy director, who also held the additional charge of deputy director of food of Mirpurkhas region.

He said that the deputy director had made the district government handicapped in supply of flour and implementation of fixed prices, much to the vexation of people.

The DCO directed the revenue magistrates to be vigilant, pay surprise visits to markets, take action against profiteers and ensure that flour was available in markets at fixed price.

He said that price lists of essential commodities, including flour, had been supplied to the staff of market committee and revenue magistrates. They were now responsible for enforcing the prices in markets, failing which they would have to face severe action.

He said that out of nine four mills, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Al-Noor, Sunshine, Ghori, Modern and Mehran had started operation while Central and Al-Mustafa still remained closed.

He claimed that the district government had set up 21 outlets in the district where flour was being sold at fixed prices. Twenty-four sale points were yet to be established by the food department, he said.

He said that the management of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) had been asked to establish one outlet at open market in each taluka in addition to 35 stores in the district where flour was being sold at subsidised rate of Rs20 per kg.

He said that the number of USC outlets would be gradually be increased to facilitate people at their doorsteps and directed the administrations of intelligence agencies to unearth wheat stocks hidden away by hoarders to help bring down flour prices. Legal action would be taken wheat hoarders, he warned.

He said that a high level meeting of price control committee would soon be convened, which would also be participated by public representatives of the district.

The EDO of revenue Syed Barkaat Rizvi, DO of revenue Syed Sajjad Hyder, DDOs of revenue, mukhtiarkars and representatives of Utility Stores Corporation and other departments attended the meeting.