Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 26
Essential items were not delivered at the doorstep in Punjab and people across the state were left scrambling for medicines and vegetables.
Contrary to the claims of the Amritsar administration, essential items like milk, vegetables and medicines could not be delivered at the doorstep.
Chemists, who were designated by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, for home delivery of medicines, failed to respond when contacted on their phone numbers.
The numbers of chemists provided to cater the Mall road, Taylor Road, Lawrence Road for medicines were either found to be defunct or busy.
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday announced immediate distribution of 10 lakh packets of dry rations to daily wagers and unorganised labourers in the state to help them through the contingency situation triggered by the curfew imposed in light of the COVID-19 crisis.
The packets, containing 10 kg atta, 2 kg dal and 2 kg of sugar each, would be distributed in the slums and other pockets where such daily wagers and labourers are staying in large numbers, an official spokesperson said.
The chief minister also ordered these packets to be made available at the offices of the deputy commissioners to support any such persons who do not get covered in the door-to-door distribution and may call the helpline numbers for food.
Call 112 for assitance: Police
- Dial 112 to seek assistance for any curfew-related policing issues.
- Punjab police said that any person could dial 112 for seeking facilities like:
- emergency travel
- hospitals
- supply of food
- groceries
- medicines
- LPG
- Hassle-free movement of trucks carrying essential goods
- Delivery of goods through e-commerce platform
Health officials justified it by saying that the chemists remained overburdened and their phones kept busy as they were overburdened. They claim that the number of chemists would be increased.
The scenario was dismal when it came to vegetable suppliers. The contact number of vegetable vendors were either switched off or they did not respond to calls.
Police too appeared to be insensitive to people’s requirement. Majority of the milkmen were refused access to the urban areas to distribute milk, even though the administration had allowed them between 5 am and 8 am. Similarly, the milk collection centres of Verka in villages were not allowed to operate. Farmers have no choice to make khoya or Desi ghee at their places.
In the absence of a wholesale market, the retailers were out of stock, be it groceries, vegetables or medicines.