HYDERABAD, July 25: The district coordination officer of Hyderabad, Ali Ahmed, has urged the public representatives and civil society to play their due role and identify wheat stocks hidden by profiteers so that action could be taken against them to check price hike.

He was presiding over the first meeting of District Price Control Committee (DPCC) held at Shahbaz Hall, Shahbaz Building, on Thursday.

Addressing the meeting, the DCO said that the Sindh chief minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, had taken serious notice of flour price hike and consequently constituted the District Price Control Committee which included three MNAs and six MPAs in addition to representatives from the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, growers, and civil society to curb hoarding and profiteering under the policy of public-private participation.

He said that the district government had assigned ten special judicial magistrates to take action against profiteers and ensuring opening of 21 outlets for the sale of flour at government fixed price of Rs25 per kg and four other sale points of Utility Stores in addition to their 35 stores for the sale of flour at subsidised rates of Rs20 per kg, but still due to some grey areas flour was being sold on high price.He said that magistrates had taken notice of this practice and raided these areas and fined the profiteer shopkeepers and warned them to refrain from that illegal practice.

Giving details about the action taken by revenue magistrates, the DCO said that during last 24 hours as many as 355 shops had been visited by revenue magistrates out of which 241 were warned and 31 shopkeepers were fined.

He said the district government had also prepared a price list of 36 kitchen items with the consultation of retailers and wholesalers keeping in view the ground realities and it had been circulated among shopkeepers with instructions to follow the prices fixed by the government.

He said that as far as the backward areas of the district are concerned, the district government had planned to arrange mobile sale of wheat flour with the help of regional management of food department and Utility Stores Corporation and asked the public representatives and UC nazims of such areas to coordinate and circulate the schedule of visit for the awareness and benefit of the villagers.

He said that the government was trying its best for release of imported wheat in the market that would definitely bring down the flour price.

MNA Syed Amir Ali Shah Jamote speaking at the meeting said that artificial shortage of atta was being experienced by everyone and it must be resolved through joint efforts of each segment of society.

He advised that price control strategy be prepared in such a way so that relief being provided by the government must reach the common man by eliminating hoarders, middle men and mill managements.

He also suggested for inclusion of more kitchen items in the price list and added that same must be implemented in letter and spirit.

Syed Fayaz Shah, a member of the committee, said that price control strategy be prepared keeping in view the forthcoming month of Ramazan. The former taluka nazim of Latifabad, Jabbar Khan, stressed upon the UC nazims to play the monitoring role to curb price hike in their areas.

Syed Salahuddin from regional directorate of food department informed the meeting that flour was available at each taluka at government fixed prices and his management had also opened outlets to break the monopoly of the profiteers.

He said that out of 565,000 tons of procurement target, 506,000 tons wheat had been procured during the season throughout Sindh.

He, however, said that Hyderabad region had surpassed the target by procuring 96,700 tons wheat against its target of 92,700 tons.

He said that wheat was sufficiently available with the food department which would be released in the month of September and added that till then the supply of wheat and flour was being maintained through managerial and administrative efforts.

DPO Hyderabad Najaf Qulli Mirza, EDO agriculture, officers from food, revenue and other departments concerned attended the meeting.