PESHAWAR: On a special directive from District Coordination Officer (DCO) Siraj Ahmad Khan, the authorities concerned have established sale points in the main market in Rampura Gate to ensure the sale of the commodity at Rs3,000 per 50kg.
Sources in the district administration told this news agency that the DCO accompanied by Rationing Controller Saleem Iqbal inspected these sale points during a surprise visit on Tuesday.
The district administrative chief also warned the dealers to refrain from hoarding and overcharging, otherwise stern action would be taken against them.
He also rejected reports regarding acute shortage of sugar in the provincial metropolis, saying that surprise raids would be conducted to ensure the supply of the basic commodity at subsidised rates.
It merits a mention here that sugar price had been increased twice during the holy month of Ramazan, visibly pointing out the absence of a proper mechanism for checks and balances on part of the government.
Dealers in the main Rampura Gate were of the view that those complaining about the shortage of the commodity were in fact trying to create artificial crisis in the metropolis where abundant stock was available sufficient to meet the local requirements for many days, they claimed.
Presently, the sweetener is being sold at Rs80 to 85 in various localities.
Sources said that the devastating floods and subsequent emergency situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provided an opportunity to sugar mafia to make quick bucks by fixing the rates of the basic item at their sweet will.
However, they warned the post-flood situation of sugarcane is very bleak; consequently sugar production is also expected to be far lower than demand.
Meanwhile, DCO directed administrators of all the four towns to take stringent measures for ensuring hygiene conditions at Eidul Fitr and to remove heaps of rubbish scattered around the city. – APP
