After PM Modi Calls For Janata Curfew People In India Turn To Panic Buying
In his address to the nation on the matter of the COVID-19 outbreak in India, PM Narendra Modi urged everyone to be on a self-imposed lockdown on Sunday, March 22.
¡°Today, I am seeking one more support from every citizen. It is Janata Curfew - a curfew for the people and imposed by people themselves,¡± he said.
PM Modi: On 22nd March, from 7 am to 9pm, all countrymen have to follow 'Janta Curfew' #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/dXRmvlDHM3
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2020
The curfew will take place between 7 am and 9 pm on Sunday. Soon after this announcement people have gone on an all-out panic buying mode and have been hoarding on essential commodities.
The impact of the panic has not just affected offline stores but online grocers like Big Basket and Grofers too, who have run out of most items.
Take a look at the panic buying scenes in India:
#1
Minutes before PM #Modi is scheduled to address the nation! Panic buying! Empty shelves!#corona #india #panicbuying #coronavirusinindia #CoronaVirusUpdate pic.twitter.com/2vMKC73MZt
¡ª Siddhartha P Saikia (@SidSaikia) March 19, 2020
#2
Dear Delhi Folks don't go for panic buying. NO LOCKDOWN situation right now in INDIA. Let's fight together #Coronavirus . Stay Safe, Dont believe in Rumors, keep reading Newspaper daily. pic.twitter.com/iW6Dc2Imax
¡ª Amandeep Singh ?????? ???? (@journoaman) March 19, 2020
#3
People have gone crazy ? #panicbuying #india pic.twitter.com/FbYyv61Ajs
¡ª Skanda (@skandabhat) March 15, 2020
#4
Panic buying has hit Bangalore, India.
¡ª ¦Ê¦Á (@karthicashokan) March 13, 2020
Shelves are empty.#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/qpuQNOiBm0
#5
What¡¯s with this panic buying India? Big Basket stock is almost over ???¡â????¡â????¡â????¡â?
¡ª ?? ????? ?? (@bavlichhori) March 15, 2020
#6
19th March: PM of India- don¡¯t do panic buying.
¡ª Sachin Madaan (@sachin_madaan) March 20, 2020
20th March: We, the people of India pic.twitter.com/VOksq14K77
#7
According to reports, e-commerce platforms, retail chains and grocery stores reported a sharp surge in sales of staples, daily necessities and personal hygiene products.
Products such as rice, atta, pulses, edible oil, sugar, biscuit, tea, instant noodle, butter, frozen food, soaps, handwashes and floor cleaners are flying off the shelves in stores across the country.
Speaking to Economic Times Grofers CEO Albinder Dhindsa said, "A lot of people are trying to game the system to acquire items and we are working proactively to block them and make sure essential supplies are available to genuine customers."
E-tailers said they are shoring up supplies amid the sudden increase in demand due to panic buying across a number of cities in the last couple of days. Immunity-boosting items such as honey and ayurvedic products like chyawanprash have seen a growth of 60 per cent, officials said.
