Jalandhar residents resort to panic buying

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, March 20

As numbers of coronavirus cases are on the rise in the country and PM Modi announced janta curfew on Sunday, residents have a perception that the Central Government might impose a lockdown till March 31. Thus, they are rushing to grocery stores and vegetable stalls to stock up on essentials.

At grocery stores in the city, including Easy Day, Big Bazaar, Reliance and D-Mart, and roadside vegetable stalls, people in large numbers were seen buying consumer goods in huge quantities. Not only ration, people have started storing medicines, baby food and other essential commodities too.

Moreover, due to the panic buying, vegetable and fruit vendors in the city have doubled prices of these items. Onion which was available for Rs 30 per kg just a week ago is being sold at Rs 50, tomato from Rs 20 to Rs 40 per kg and kinnow from Rs 30 to Rs 50 per kg.

Anil, a salesperson at Easyday, near Curo Mall, said ahead of the address of PM Narendra Modi on Thursday evening, various rumours were being circulated on WhatsApp and social networking sites that a national emergency would be declared and markets would be closed, due to which people got panicked and there was a huge rush in the store on Thursday night. While the rush is still continuing as customers said the curfew was a trial and there would definitely be a lockdown.

A salesperson at DMart said since the day the state government had ordered closure of schools, colleges, shopping malls, cinemas, swimming pools, coaching centres and then the shutdown of public and private transport in the wake of Covid, people fear that a curfew-like situation would prevail. Thus, the footfall at the store had tripled and people were stocking up groceries, fruits, vegetables and medicines.

Vishal Gulati, president, Old Sabzi Mandi Retailer Welfare Association, Jalandhar, confirmed that as people were buying veggies in large quantity, there is a sudden increase in the demand due to which the prices of vegetables have gone up.

“Yes, you can say I am buying more than needed, but under the current circumstances, this is the need of the hour and to be on safer side one should keep a good stock in case of any lockdown,” said a housewife, Dolly Narula, while shopping at DMart.

People must refrain from panic buying: DC

Following the directions of Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma, teams of Food and Civil Supplies Department on Friday swung into action for checking surge, if any, in prices of essential commodities due to ‘panic buying’ in the district. Led by District Food and Supply Controller Narinder Singh, the teams inspected DMart, shops in the Model Town market, Jalandhar Cantt and others to ensure there was no undue increase in the prices of goods. Besides checking stock registers of these shops and outlets, the teams also checked price lists of goods. They interacted with people to ascertain whether they were getting goods at the fixed prices. Meanwhile, the DC said nobody would be allowed to sell goods and items at exorbitant rates. He also called upon people to refrain from ‘panic buying’ as shops would remain open in coming days.

Veggie prices three days ago Current prices

Onion Rs25-30 per kg     Rs50-60 per kg

Tomato Rs15-20 per kg   Rs40-45 per kg

Potato Rs20 per kg       Rs30-40 per kg

Ginger Rs70-80 per kg     Rs120-130 per kg

Garlic Rs80-90 per kg     Rs120-140 per kg

Capsicum Rs40 per kg Rs60 per kg

Carrot Rs20 per kg Rs40 per kg

Spinach Rs20-25 per kg Rs50-60 per kg