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Masks vanish from shelves after Chandigarh admn makes them mandatory
Pharmacists who have them in stock are selling them for up to thrice the MRP
As soon as the UT administration made it mandatory for everyone to wear masks in public, most pharmacies have sold out their stock in Chandigarh. A check by this Hindustan Times correspondent found that masks are out of stock with most pharmacies, while others are selling them at twice or thrice the rates mandated by the government.
In March, after a notification of Government of India, prices of masks and sanitisers were capped in the UT. The move aimed at making products of personal care and sanitation more affordable as they are crucial to combat the rapidly spreading coronavirus. The consumer affairs ministry had notified the MRP for 2-ply and 3-ply surgical face masks at ₹8 and ₹10 per piece, respectively.
However, when this correspondent tried to buy masks and sanitiser from Sector 36, 37 and 38 pharmacists, none of them were ready to sell at the price decided by UT.
Kushaldeep Kaur, a resident of Sector 19, said, “I went to many shops, but they are out of stock. I will have to make my own mask at home now.”
Vivek Mehra, who distributes masks in Chandigarh slums, said, “Barring a handful of places, the 3-ply and 2-ply masks are available at ₹20 to ₹25 and the black cloth mask is priced between ₹30 and ₹80.”
VENDORS USING SAME MASKS, GLOVES FOR DAYS
Hitesh Puri, chairman of CRAWFED, said, “Just yesterday, I asked a vegetable vendor about how many days he had been using the same mask and gloves, and he replied that it was more than four days.” With limited money, of course, a vendor will not think of changing his mask and gloves every day, he added.
Baljinder Bittu, chairman of FOSWAC, said, “The repeated use of same masks and gloves by vendors is frightful. They meet several people everyday, go to crowded mandis and exchange currency notes,too. To help them, we have also decided to donate 25,000 masks.”
“Frontline workers should be given masks by the government. Even if the lockdown is extended for the next 15 days, the government can afford them ₹8 per mask,” said Puri.
He added, “Moreover, pharmacists should display the rate list of mask and sanitisers outside the shop and there should be an inspection to check implementation. Administration can also take the help of NGOs for this.”
Vinay Jain, secretary of Chandigarh chemist association, while rejecting the charges said, “Masks are plentiful in supply. Some pharmacists are selling them at higher rates but they do not belong to our association.”
UT health secretary, Arun Kumar Gupta, “There is no need to buy masks, people can make them at home. They are reusable and adequate against infection. But except for home made masks, its dangerous to wear same masks again and again. We are trying to make people aware of it.”
