Bhubaneswar: With the memory of Fani and the horrors it unleashed still fresh, people were seen rushing to the market at various areas across Odisha to stock up on essential goods as impending cyclone ‘Yaas’ nears.
After the weekend shutdown, people mainly in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Berhampur ignored Covid-19 guidelines and made beeline for vegetable and grocery items like rice, puffed rice, sugar, pulses and oil.
“We had faced a lot of difficulties during Cyclone Fani as there was a scarcity of essential food items in the market. I am buying essential vegetables like potato and onion so that we don’t have to face scarcity of food during cyclone ‘Yaas’,” said Srujan Prakash Mohanty of Cuttack.
Meanwhile, vegetable prices have reportedly skyrocketed due to the huge demand in the market.
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“Some of the dishonest vegetable vendors are taking advantage of the panic among the people. They are fleecing the customers by demanding exorbitant fees. The prices of different vegetable have almost doubled within 24 hours,” lamented Bhagirathi Sahoo in Balasore.
Subash Sahoo, a vegetable vendor in Berhampur said his shop witnessed hundreds of buyers since morning.
“It is very difficult to manage such a huge crowd when we also have to follow social distancing norms due to Covid-19,” said Sahoo.
Taking about the skyrocketing price of the vegetables, Sahoo said, “We are helpless as we have to buy vegetables from the godowns at higher prices and there is not much stock available too.”
(Edited by Pradeep Singh)