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Coronavirus: No masks, social distancing as crowds throng Shimla markets during curfew relaxation
Most of the shoppers were without masks and were indisciplined.
A three-hour relaxation in curfew on Thursday imposed to prevent Covid-19 transmission in Himachal Pradesh led to chaos as people crowded markets picking up vegetables and essential supplies.
Despite heavy police deployment, people started gathering in the market at 8 am and the crowds swelled up by 9am, with many thronging Shimla’s fruit and vegetable market, disregarding social-distancing rules.
Most of the shoppers were without masks and were indisciplined. “Everything was sold out within one hour of the curfew relaxation. There were no vegetables left,” said senior citizen Baldev Sharma, who walked nearly three kilometers from Kasumpti to the main sabzi mandi below Lower Bazaar.
People also complained about vendors hiking prices. “We had to buy tomatoes for Rs 60 a kg at the sabzi mandi,” said Meenakshi Chauhan, who had come all the way from Sanjauli.
The relaxation timings were strictly adhered to by the police, who asked people to leave the market at 11 am after three hours.
Medicine stores had a heavy rush. In the new Shimla areas, however, people maintained safe distance as they stood in queues to pick up essential supplies.
No safety rules were followed in the suburban areas of Shimla district, Nerwa, Rohru and Chirgaon. “There is panic, the district administration needs to take measures to instill confidence amongst the public. Panic buying will adversely impact the chain supply. Transporters are apprehensive of carrying goods to the state under curfew,” said Rahul a shopkeeper.
Deputy commissioner Amit Kashyap and superintendent of police Omapati Jamwal monitored the markets.
LPG (cylinders) will be delivered daily, that too to homes for which “we have already made arrangements. It will not be restricted to relaxation hours and will be delivered throughout the day at homes like before,” Kashyap said.
The district administration also issued orders for keeping pesticide and insecticide shops open for orchardists.
It also released the helpline number 1077 for people needing to leave their homes in emergencies during curfew hours.
Supply of daily essentials normalises in Kangra
Supplies of essential commodities including milk, vegetables and cooking gas normalised in Kangra district on the second day of curfew imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The supplies were hampered on Wednesday as transportation vehicles were not allowed to enter the territorial limits of the district by the police.
However, deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati had clarified that such vehicles carrying essential items are exempted from prior permission.
Meanwhile, long queues were seen outside daily needs and vegetable shops in Dharamshala on Thursday during the relaxation hours of the curfew.
The district administration has fixed three hours relaxation from 8am to 11am daily.
Meanwhile, the prices of vegetables have gone up in the town. Onion was sold ₹60 per kg while tomatoes cost ₹80 per kg. The rates of other vegetables have also gone up.
Cooking gas agencies have resumed their supply here, the DC said.
“We have sufficient stocks and in case of an issue, people can contact district food and civil supply officer. No hoarding of gas will be allowed in the house,” he said.
FOOD ESSENTIALS FOR POOR
The deputy commissioner added that the district administration has stepped up efforts to provide essential items to poor, especially daily wagers and slum dwellers in the district. Packets containing foodgrain, salt, cooking oil, turmeric and other daily need items are being prepared across the district, and will be distributed as per need, the DC said.
DHARAMSHALA STARTS SANTISATION DRIVE
The Dharamshala municipal corporation on Thursday started sanitising all the areas under its jurisdiction. The civic body using a unique technique of spraying sodium hypochlorite through fire tenders. “Earlier, we were doing it manually so it was consuming a lot of time. Spraying the disinfectant using fire tenders having capacity of 4000 litres each is much effective,” said Dharamshala mayor Devinder Singh Jaggi.
He said that entire McLeodganj area and main public places of Dharamshala town were sanitised on Thursday. “We will be sanitising each ward of the town in the next few days,” he said.
With inputs from Naresh K Thakur
