Around 500 mills, chakkis shut over short supply of wheat.

DADU -- Owners of around 500 atta chakkis and flour mills shut down their plants in the district on Sunday in protest against the district food department officers, accusing them of releasing less than approved quota of subsidised wheat to them.

Dadu Atta Chakkis Association's office-bearers, who had organised the shutdown, demanded the food department remove district food controller (DFC) Mansoor Mirani for committing mega corruption in the department.

The association's president Sikandar Lakhiar, vice president Amanullah Memon and general secretary Irfan Shaikh said at a press conference at Dadu Press Club that Mirani had received Rs330 per bag extra as a bribe over the past four months and now he had increased the extortion from Rs330 to Rs430 per bag.

They said that the officer had released 100,000 wheat bags to chakkis and flour mills, thus amassing Rs350 million ill-gotten money. He had also sold 8,000 bags to grain traders, they said.

They alleged that Mirani himself owned chakkis to which he issued ample amount of bags. He was selling 1,600 bags a month, which was too much and might lead to a manmade wheat crisis in the district, they warned.

They demanded action against widespread corruption in the food department and the corrupt DFC. Earlier, they held a protest before the press club.

Another group of members of the association staged a demonstration at the press club against their striking colleagues...