India struggles with lockdown, essential goods supply glitches appear

The Indian government said on Wednesday it was monitoring the availability of essential commodities as supply chain glitches appeared and prices of vegetables rose in the wake of new anti-coronavirus measures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day countrywide lockdown.

Modi’s announcement was followed by a rush to grocery stores and pharmacies despite the government saying it would ensure essential supplies are maintained and urging people not to resort to panic buying.

“We have run out of supplies of long-life milk cartons and hand wash soap,” said Boli Shankar Agarwal, a grocery shop owner in Delhi suburb Gurgaon.

Read also: US lawmakers, Trump reach deal on massive stimulus package

In Mumbai, a vegetable vendor told NDTV news channel that she was finding it difficult to source the vegetables as her local wholesale market was closed.

The government was monitoring the availability of essential commodities in the market, federal Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said. He warned manufacturers and traders against profiteering.

All inter-state borders in India have been closed and passenger services by rail and air stopped. Most states have imposed orders prohibiting gatherings of more than four people.

There were long queues of goods-laden trucks at several inter-state border checkposts as officials checked each truck to allow those with essential commodities to move on, IBN-News-18 television channel reported.

Administrations in Delhi and in India’s financial hub Mumbai announced helplines for essential services providers and said they would be issued passes for travelling.

There were 562 active cases of the new coronavirus in the country, India’s Health Ministry said. Forty-one people had recovered and nine had died. (dpa)