Supply improves in colonies but crowd management a concern

After days of poor supply, UT food and grocery vehicles reached different colonies and supplied essentials. One major concern, however, was that people were seen crowding near the vehicles, thereby defeating the purpose of the curfew, which is social distancing.

The presence of police in Manimajra, Mauli Jagran and other places was of little help as in the absence of doorstep supply, people queued up before Chandigarh Transport Unit (CTU) buses to buy vegetables.

In sectors, crowd management was much better with people stand at a good distance from each other. Several MC councillors representing these colonies have urged UT to open some grocery stores since routine delivery system leading to crowding in their areas.

PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF HIGHER RATES

Even as the UT administration fixed the rates of different vegetables to check overpricing, people from Dhanas and Daddumajra colonies complained that the vegetables were sold at much higher prices. Sumit Kumar, a resident of Dhanas, said, “Even the bus which has been sent by the administration is overcharging. I don’t know how the poor will deal with such a situation.”

A Dhanas resident, who didn’t want to be named, said, “Coriander was being sold for ₹50, ginger for ₹100, potato for ₹30, and tomato for ₹60. When we asked why the prices were so high, the vendor told us that it is what he got in the market.”

NGO COMES IN SUPPORT

Balramji Dass Tandon Charitable Foundation, run by former president of the local BJP unit, Sanjay Tandon distributed free ration to needy people. Tandon said that 54 families in Manimajra, Baltana, Sector 32, Pulsora, Dhanas, etc were served on Thursday while 65 families in EWS Dhanas, Sector 45, Ram Darbar, Bapu Dham Colony, Palsora, Sector 56 were provided ration on Saturday. The items provided were flour, rice, sugar, pulses, turmeric, ghee, tea, salt, cumin, coriander, fennel, boondi-pakodi, soya bean, gram flour, potato, onion and saunf, he said.