The Punjab Food Department on Saturday decided to shift wheat from the centers affected in flood and rains in the province to safe and dry places and the work has been initiated from three centers situated in Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh districts.
Sources in the Food Department told Business Recorder here on Saturday that the floodwater had hit eight centers of the department damaging some 80,000 tons of wheat. Nevertheless, the department had deputed its staff to separate the dry wheat from the wet wheat to shift it to the safer places.
'The staff has already started work in three centers including one in Rajanpur and two in Muzaffargarh districts and twenty percent dry and fit for human consumption wheat had already been separated,' sources added. The sources said that as per plan the provincial food department would shift this dry wheat either to the stores of adjoining flourmills or the dry places either in the same centers or wherever they could find a dry and safe place. If needed, wheat would be transported to deficit districts of the province, the sources further said.
Sources further stated that the department had already advertised for the auction of wheat damaged due to floodwater. This wheat could be used for poultry feed or preparation or 'Vanda', which is used for animal feed. 'The department has to make haste in this regard as delay in it would completely destroy this wheat. The department has fixed the August 24, as the date for auction of this wet wheat, the sources maintained.
To a question, official of provincial food department said, surging floodwater has played havoc in districts along the Indus River. He said it was humanly impossible to protect wheat from unprecedented flow of floodwater. It is also learnt that Punjab Food Secretary Irfan Elahi visited various godowns in flood affected districts of Punjab to personally assess the damage caused to the wheat. During his three-day visit, he inspected every affected warehouse, sources added.