BAHAWALNAGAR: The district administration has allegedly caused a loss of Rs890m to the national exchequer, benefitting the wheat hoarders and letting them go scot-free as it has returned the whole money from the sale of hoarded wheat to the hoarders instead of depositing half of the amount to the government exchequer as per the Punjab Prevention of Hoarding Act 2020, Dawn has learnt.
Sources in the revenue department while sharing Clause 3 of the Act, titled Offence of Hoarding, said according to this clause anyone found guilty of the offence could get imprisonment up to three years whereas the fine would be equivalent to 50pc of the value of the hoarded articles. However, the district administration neither ensured imprisonment for the hoarders nor imposed fine, allegedly acting hand in glove with the wheat hoarders and traders.