SCRAMBLE FOR SUPPLIES ON DAY 1
Essential items run scarce as shop shelves emptied out by hoarders, fresh stocks delayed due to curbs Tally jumps from 536 to 606, including five more tested positive in Delhi, as focus remains on isolating those infected
NEWDELHI: Long queues, crowded markets, and harassment of e-commerce and food delivery people by police departments seemingly unaware of what was allowed and what wasn’t, marked the first day of the three-week lockdown to cease the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), although by Wednesday evening, some sense of order emerged.
There were people thronging markets across the country on Wednesday as they stocked up for supplies before sheltering at home for three weeks to guard against the pandemic. In various cities, including in Delhi, people faced trouble reaching stores as policemen refused to let them pass, even beating up some despite the government’s assurances of no curbs on the purchase of essential items. Several people who faced harassment said the police did not appear to be aware of the government’s advisory. People who did manage to reach local stores said they feared a worsening of the situation as stocks appeared to be depleted.
To be sure, while some markets were crowded, others saw people shopping in disciplined lines, and maintaining a safe distance from each other.
Union food minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the government was monitoring the availability of essential commodities in the market. He warned manufacturers and traders against profiteering during the lockdown period.
The Centre is also in touch with the state governments to ensure there is no shortage of essential commodities, he said.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told citizens to not come out of their houses for 21 days, underlining the gravity of the infectious outbreak that has killed at least 20,000 people worldwide. The Prime Minister did not mention the government’s plan to keep essential supplies running. Later, however, as news of panic buying across the country emerged, he tweeted to say that they would remain available.
“No panic buying please,” he said.
Notifications issued by the home ministry too said this.
Despite Modi’s appeal, chaos was reported at grocery stores, some of which reported depleted stocks owing to restrictions, and services of many delivery outlets and e-commerce retailers remained non-functional. Television visuals showed the police striking people, who later said they were simply out shopping for necessities.
Online retailers such as Amazon and grocery delivery services such as Big Basket were cancelling previously placed orders and said they did not have new delivery slots available. This pushed
people to go out to shop at local stores, where social distancing was a far cry as people jostled to secure fast-disappearing supplies.
The sweeping government restrictions affected trucks ferrying essential supplies and Indian Railways staff handling cargo operations as police within states and at borders restricted their movements. “Our staff across all zones are facing difficulties in reaching the terminals as they are being stopped by the local authorities. In many cases zonal divisional railway managers (DRMs) have had to call the police and ensure staffers are allowed. As transportation has not been provided, they have had to walk and some cycled,” a government official aware of the developments said on condition of anonymity.
The official added that freight trains, which remain operational after nationwide suspension of passenger services, are focusing on transporting food grains, vegetables, salt and petroleum products among essential items.
In Delhi, serpentine queues could be seen outside Mother Dairy outlets. At many grocery shops, people were told that essential items were in short supply. Many could also be seen queuing outside gas cylinder agencies to purchase cooking fuel. “I cycled for four kilometres to bring some essential items such as noodles and wheat because the police had punctured the tyres of the supplier’s van,” said Rakesh, who is employed at a grocery shop in Govindpuri.
In five days, the number of Covid-19 cases has jumped from about 200 to 606, and experts say the number could surge if more people are tested. Five fresh cases were reported in the national capital in the last 24 hours, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said. Of 606 cases, 553 are active cases, 42 patients have recovered and have been discharged from the hospital. Ten people have died.
Joint secretary, health, Lav Agarwal said: “There are 29 private laboratory chains, accredited by the Indian Council of Medical Research for conducting tests for novel coronavirus. These labs have 16,000 collection centres across the country, where at least 12,000 tests can be conducted per day.”
The Union home ministry asked state governments to check the spread of rumours about shortage of food items. In a communication to chief secretaries and police of all states, the ministry asked them to take action to allay apprehensions and maintain peace, and inform people about the availability of food, medicine and other essential commodities.
Kejriwal said authorities will ensure essential services during the lockdown period and requested people not to panic. “We will issue e-passes to vegetable-sellers, grocers among others to ensure essential supplies during the lockdown,” Kejriwal said at a news briefing along with Lt Governor Anil Baijal.
Modi said the lockdown “to save India and Indians” would be “total”. Officials subsequently released advisories explaining that medical, law enforcement, media and other sectors were exempted, and that stores selling food and other essentials would remain open. The Union home ministry issued fresh guidelines covering additional people and services that will be exempted from the lockdown. The ministry said Reserve Bank of India and RBI-regulated financial markets, pay and accounts officers and field officers of the CAG, petroleum products ,and supply chain and forest staff will be among those exempted.
Those people handling cargo operations in airports and railway stations, coal mining activities, officers and staff of resident commissioners based in Delhi and customs clearance at ports, airports and land borders are also exempted.
Responding to reports of shortages on Wednesday, SP Singh, senior fellow at Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), said: “There are about 2.5-3 lakh trucks stranded on national highways right now as they are not being allowed to enter cities. There are millions of drivers who are stranded with no food or facilities even as the police have not allowed them to assemble in groups. There could be a big problem as the trucking industry is the lifeline of the economy.”