LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to launch a crackdown against hoarders of wheat across the province. The hoarding stock will be recovered with the help of special branch and it will be handed over to the Food department.

While presiding over a video link meeting of deputy commissioners at the Civil Secretariat here on Monday, Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal has directed all the deputy commissioners to take action in this regard. The administrative secretaries of industries, agriculture, food, livestock and officers concerned attended the meeting whereas all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners virtually participated.

The chief secretary said that the officers should continue taking steps to curb the smuggling of wheat and fertilizers. He said that the welfare of people is the duty of government officials, adding that he has started visiting districts to review the public welfare initiatives. He stressed that all the price control magistrates should perform their duties in a dynamic manner and only a notified officer would be authorized to conduct price checking.

Expressing deep sorrow over the death of four children in a boat accident at Head Baloki, the chief secretary directed the deputy commissioners to take steps to prevent incidents of boat capsize and cylinder blasts in their areas. He said that the protection of life and property of the people is responsibility of the government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022