Tensions spark panic buying in Patiala, labour pangs disrupt supply chain

The escalating tension between India and Pakistan and the resultant panic buying of essential commodities have compounded an already critical situation. Traders, industrialists and businessmen are grappling with acute labour shortages as migrant workers and other labourers begin returning to their native states.

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Essential items including flour, sugar, eggs, biscuits, frozen meals, cooking oil, and instant noodles have vanished from store shelves, leaving retailers struggling to meet public demand.

“This reminds me of the COVID-19 lockdown. We’re facing a repeat of that situation,” said Sarabjit Singh, a grocery store owner in Patiala who has not received a fresh supply of flour in over a week.

Singh added that most workers involved in packaging, processing, and transporting food have left for their native villages in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, fearing a potential escalation between two hostile nations. “Processing units are shutting down. We just don’t have the manpower,” he said.

Huge rush was witnessed at interstate bus terminus and railway station in Rajpura and migrant labourers were making a beeline to catch the next train — be it with ticket or without ticket.

Raju from Samastipur in Bihar, who works at a bakery said that bank home his family was worried about his. He said that he would return once the situation would turn normal.

Store owners across cities are also having a hard time managing anxious customers. A shopkeeper near 22-No. fatak recounted being overwhelmed while trying to prevent hoarding. “People are buying everything they can lay their hands on be it. Powdered milk is already out of stock,” he said, adding, “I’ve been telling them this panic buying is unnecessary, and later they’ll regret wasting their money.”

The disruption is not limited to food supply chains. The Indian Sports Goods Expo (ISGE), scheduled to be held from May 8 to 10 at NIT Jalandhar, suffered a low turnout due to increased attacks near the border. The expo was expected to attract hundreds of traders from across the country, providing a significant boost to Jalandhar’s sports industry.

In Ludhiana, known for its textile and garment manufacturing, industrialists are reporting similar labour shortages.

“Since Punjab shares a border with Pakistan, most migrant labourers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are returning home,” said Avnish Aggarwal, an athleticwear manufacturer, adding, “We’ve already seen a 10 to 15 percent drop in our workforce. If this continues, it will severely hit production.”

Amid the rising tension, reports of miscreants bursting crackers in densely populated areas have triggered further panic. Local authorities have urged the public to report such activity with the police so that action could be taken against such panic mongers.

Educational institutions are also bearing the brunt of the crisis. The Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Patiala has suspended classes and declared a break till May 18.

A revised examination schedule will be issued once the situation stabilizes. Similarly, Punjabi University Patiala has announced holidays until May 11. Exams scheduled for May 9 and 10 have been postponed, with further dates to be decided in accordance with government advisories.

Students putting up in hotels were seen also rushing out of the institutions and appear eager to return home.