Amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown called to combat the spread of coronavirus, grocery stores and supermarkets are running out of supplies for essential items here, with suppliers claiming limited items in their inventory.
Most of the supermarkets in Noida are complaining of a lack of supply of essential items such as rice, flour, and pulses. Local markets are also facing a shortage of items like Dettol, Maggi, Nutrela, among others.
One of the store managers of an Easyday retail outlet in Ghaziabad's Crossing Republic told IANS: "The demand for rice, pulses, wheat, and flour is quite high. However, the supply is limited during the lockdown period. We are receiving these items once in two days."
Online stores that are doing home delivery of essential items in the state are restricting themselves to flour, pulses, rice, and cooking oil. Pixabay
The condition was similar at the Easyday outlet in Noida area as well as Spencer's in Noida and at other local retailers.
He said the demand for the Dettol, Nutrela, Biscuits, and bread have gone up following the lockdown.
While all passenger, mail and express train services have been suspended during the lockdown period, freight trains, special parcel trains, and goods trucks are plying across the country to maintain the supply of essential items.
Yet basic items like rice and pulses are fast flying off the shelves at many stores, much to the dismay of the common people.
Till Friday evening, the total number of active COVID-19 cases in India rose to 6,741 with 206 people have succumbed to the dreaded virus across the country so far, according to the data released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Essential supplies have been scarce in Noida, and Ghaziabad. Pixabay
A bread supplier in the Noida area said that the delivery of the bread is getting delayed as the trucks are arriving late due to the lockdown and are stranded at checkpoints at the number of places.
He said he supplies bread to around 15 stores in the Noida area.
Another supplier wishing not to be named said he was getting less supply from the stockists. "Out of the limited stock that I get, I have to maintain the supply to all the stores". (IANS)