MITHl: Poor Thari families have been left waiting on tenterhooks for the start of distribution of free wheat, which was officially launched with much fanfare on June 24, as the department concerned has not yet awarded contract for transportation of the grain.

The Sindh government had announced distributing 100 kilogramme wheat bag each to 287,964 families in the 11th phase of wheat distribution which was inaugurated by senior minister Nisar Ahmad Khuhro in Mithi on June 24.

Sources in the food department told Dawn on Thursday that the department was unable to distribute the wheat in 2,500 villages of Thar in time because of some issues over award of contracts for transportation.

The sources blamed political interference aimed at getting the lucrative contracts, for the unnecessary delay. On the other hand, the wheat meant for distribution was getting spoiled in godowns in Islamkot, Mithi and other areas after recent rainfall and lack of spray to keep it safe from various insects and pests, said the sources.

Thar Deputy Commissioner Dr Abdul Hafeez Sial told journalists that the process of awarding transportation contracts was under way and advertisements in this regard had been placed in newspapers by the district administration.

He said that people would soon be provided wheat bags at their doorsteps and expressed ignorance in answer to a question about wheat getting spoiled after rains.

Tharis appealed to the chief minister to take notice of the unnecessary delay caused by the officials concerned and vowed that they would not accept the rotten wheat.