District food department fails to protect wheat from rain

Over 4,00,000 wheat sacks of 100 kg dumped in open in godowns

Rawalpindi

As per routine, the district food department, once again fails to protect wheat from rain, cats, rats and fungus because over 4,00,000 wheat sacks of 100 kilogram are dumped in open here in godowns. The life of indoor 6,00,000 wheat sacks was also at stake due to dilapidated condition of godowns as rainwater continuously leaking from rooftops to damage the wheat.

It is worth mentioning here that public had to use substandard ‘atta’ as district food department supplied low quality stored wheat to mill owners some months back which was stored in open last year in monsoon season. Every year, the district food department fails to protect wheat while public pays its price in shape of bad health.

Mutahidda Naanbai Association (MNA) President Shafiq Qureshi said that ‘atta’ gives bad smell after a short time and people are continuously complaining us for low standard of ‘atta’, he claimed.

District Food Department Deputy Director Shirjeel Mirza told ‘The News’ that we are trying to protect wheat grains in godowns. “We keep wheat sacks in godowns to their capacity, while remaining sacks are stored in open but cover with rough and tough tarpaulin,” he said. Rainwater could not reach wheat sacks, he claimed. He admitted that wheat catches fungus if rainwater reaches its sacks. Wheat with fungus is not fit to eat, he said.

He also said that we have best available place to protect wheat sacks while millions of wheat sacks are under open sky in other cities of Punjab province. I will take an immediate action to offload wheat sacks into godowns directly, he assured. He said that mill owners already use water before grinding but they should use water according to a set method.

District Food Department Chief Inspector and In-Charge Godown Qazi Muhammad Zubair said that there are three godowns here. Every godown has capacity to keep around 2,00,000 wheat sacks of 100 kilogram. All godowns are packed with wheat sacks while remaining sacks are dumped in open but covered with tarpaulin, he claimed.

On duty officials here in godowns of District Food Department, on condition of anonymity, informed ‘The News’ that wheat sacks are in bad condition. They said that we could not protect wheat sacks from rainwater. Around 6,00,000 wheat sacks are in godowns while 4,00,000 are lying in open but both are in bad condition. Rainwater is continuously coming from roof damaging the wheat. “Not speak of the wheat which is dumped in open,” they said. They said we have to discard tones of rotten wheat every year.

However, the owners of flourmills are reportedly using over 25 per cent water in wheat grinding, which not only makes ‘atta’ substandard but also over weight. The government has allowed only 13 per cent use of water in grinding but unfortunately the concerned officers are not taking action against mill owners for this violation.

Talking to ‘The News’ consumer belonged to different walks of life strongly condemned district food department for not adopting safety measures to ensure quality ‘atta’. They have appealed to the Punjab chief minister that rotten wheat should be sent for testing to a laboratory because it may be harmful for consumers’ health. The residents have also claimed that similar instances have taken place before but they were never publicised.