Rawalpindi
People are facing grave health risks as they have to consume poor quality ‘black atta’ being sold in majority of localities including Adiala Road, Bakra Mandi, Dhoke Juma, Pirwadhai, Sherzaman Colony, Defense Road, Jamia Masjid Road and Sadiqabad/Muslim Town. The locals of affected areas are continuously visiting hospitals and private clinics as they are suffering from vomiting and lose motion for some days.
All Pakistan Flourmills Association Senior Vice Chairman Rehan Ahmed admitting all fact and figures said that public was eating low quality ‘black atta’ because District Food Department is supplying four years old wheat which has been affected during four monsoons. Apparently, substandard wheat seems fine but in reality it was not consumable, he claimed. He said that wheat supplied by district food department has been affected by monsoon rains and when it comes to flour millers once again used moisture that’s why ‘atta’ becomes black not able to eating, he said.
A key-post officer from District Food Department (DFD) requesting anonymity told ‘The News’ that owners of more than 65 flourmills in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are grinding three types of ‘atta’. Secondly, they are using unhygienic water in grinding, which was very dangerous for human health.
He said that the flourmill owners are not following the set standard and making poor quality ‘atta’ by extracting about 4 per cent ‘chokar’ against the set standard of 10 per cent. They are also using more than 27 per cent moisture against 11 per cent fixed by the government during the grinding process, he disclosed.
The second quality of ‘atta’ is middle standard which is being sold in the open market. The flourmill owners are extracting about 7 per cent ‘chokar’ from it against the set standard of 10 per cent, and using more than 18 per cent moisture against 11 per cent during the grinding process.
The third quality of ‘atta’ is called special quality and it is being sold in the open market at the rate of Rs950-Rs1,000 per bag of 20 kilograms. The flourmills are extracting about 20-25 per cent ‘chokar’ from it against the set standard of 10 per cent and using 14 per cent moisture during the grinding process, he said.
According to key post officer, the District Food Department knows all facts but taking no action. The department is passing quality samples without any examination, he said.
The ‘atta’ shopkeepers are selling a 20-kilogram bag of poor quality at Rs800-820 and middle standard quality at Rs850 and find quality of ‘atta’ bag at Rs950-Rs1,000.
The District Food Controller (DFC) Ejaz Ahmed Sial told ‘The News’ that they would not spare violators at any cost. He said that he has formed special squad to monitor corrupt flourmills including corrupt officials. “I will personally visit all markets and shops particularly flourmills to check ‘low quality atta’, he assured.