Tall claims by the government and Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) on stock position in the Valley notwithstanding, Kashmir Valley has been facing acute shortage of sugar and flour from past many months.There is no flour and sugar at CAPD depots while government is mum, reluctant to take responsibility for such acute shortage. “There is no flour and sugar at the CAPD Depots. Government has been trying to present a rosy picture about the presence of stocks in the Valley,” a store-keeper told CNS wishing not to be named.An official said that there is acute shortage of sugar in North, South and Central Kashmir. “Last time the contractor who secured the tender incurred heavy losses and since then contractors are reluctant to file tenders. Government had issued new tenders and a Jammu based contractor has secured it. Hopefully from next month the shortage of sugar and flour will be over,” he said and added that shortage of sugar and flour is in whole state.Ironically, Deputy Director CAPD Mr Abdul Qayoom didn’t show any seriousness about the issue. He connected shortage of sugar with the diabetic patients. “People don’t need sugar because majority of them are diabetic,” he said. (CNS)