Lockdown: Empty shelves at grocery stores create panic among people

New Delhi: More than a week after the 21-day lockdown was imposed in the country, the supplies of essential items in Delhi is witnessing a shortage. Shelves that once had full stock of essential items are now empty with kirana stores only having the availability of open items like sugar, flour, rice and pulses.

Sunil, a resident of Dwarka went to buy essential from a nearby grocery store and was shocked to see nearly everything empty. "Everything is in scarce quantity or there are empty shelves. From oil to other grocery items, I saw very limited stuff that was available, which is why I picked up whatever I could," he told.

Although, almost all grocery shops are open, the scarcity of essentials has created a panic like situation. Another resident of Dwarka, Priya said that there is almost nothing available in grocery stores. "There are many items we are used to buying but now they are vanishing from the shelves. I went to the market today and there was hardly anything left," she added.

On asking as to why was there such a shortage, an owner of a kinara store at Dwarka said there is hardly any supply of materials. "Our distributors are having trouble dropping off stuff and many of our material are brought from outside Delhi. Now that the borders are sealed and there is strict inspection not enough material is coming in the shop," he added.

Deepak Srivastava, Area Sales Manager in South Delhi said that due to curfew passes his distributor has not been able to come. "The curfew passes are stamped and delivered to people who are taking care of essential commodities. However, we had applied for the pass, two days back and still haven't received it. We were told it would be given to us in 8 to 10 hours," he told the correspondent.

He added that the delivery person will not be able to move out with his vehicle. "They are stopped by the police and sent back if they don't have a curfew pass," he said.

This has created an issue where the distributor is not able to supply the products. "This has created a problem at the grocery stories, as they are, in many cases, out of a product," said Srivastava.