SHILLONG: Residents of containment zones, who have been caught high and dry due to lack of essential items at home, accentuated by sudden the restrictions imposed on normal life, now have a way out.
The can fall back on a government-sponsored “MeghaMart” which is designed to act as a go-between in helping them procure the items of daily needs without having to venture out. Not just that the system also is equipped to help the identified shops in the concerned areas replenish their stock.
The MeghaMart is just a phone call away.
MeghaMart is an initiative of MIE and is supplying only essential items to people’s home such as food, groceries and health care items.
It may also be mentioned during the initial days of lockdown in the state, the state government had activated store.meghamart.com as an end-to-end essential commodity ordering and delivery platform to ensure these are made available to citizens at their doorsteps, especially in urban areas.
And currently, with the announcement of containment zones, the MeghaMart site has dedicate a section for containment zones as well which is area specific.
Basically, it is a system of online ordering of daily provisions and delivery through locality-specific stores under the umbrella of the online portal of MeghaMart, working through and with the Dorbars and COVID management teams in every locality.
While the government has been facing flaks for its insensitive strategy relating to containment zones, for once there has been an out of the box solution to people’s misery.
Going by the growing number of residents, who are opting for both online and offline mode of purchase, it seems the system is working to everyone’s satisfaction.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, the Director of Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship (MIE) and member secretary of 1917iTEAMS, BK Sohliya, explained that its primary task is coordination between the shopkeepers in the localities and the residents. “MeghaMart is only a platform. There are lists of shops that are area specific. People in containment zones will have to get their essential commodities from shops identified by the DC’s office and the Dorbar Shnong”, he said.
Sohliya said people can get milk, meat products, vegetables and fruits from the platform.
As per the guidelines circulated to all localities, after the selection of the store by the Dorbar Shnong, the Rangbah Shnong is to inform the name of the store, the owner’s name, contact number and service area of the store to the zonal incident commander and to the Director of MIE.
The stores will get a call from the MeghaMart team to explain to them how the platform works and for stores that are not familiar with online transactions, they can get their purchases carried out over the phone.
For refilling of stock during the lockdown, the store owners can call the number 18001021917. They can also call the number to book a cargo vehicle, if needed, at Rs 500 per trip within Shillong urban agglomeration excluding loading and unloading charges. Also, 1917iTEAMS cargo vehicles can be engaged for the job.
With regard to the localities that have opted for ordering online from www.meghamart.com, the headmen are requested to identify one volunteer from the locality with good knowledge of computers who will facilitate and assist residents to place their orders and coordinate with the MeghaMart team.
The volunteer will be trained by MeghaMart and will be paid a flat commission of Rs 10 per transaction by the respective MeghaMart store.
The headmen will coordinate with the store owners. Sohliya has also issued protocols for meeting the daily provision needs of containment zones of Shillong urban agglomeration through MeghaMart online and locality-specific stores in coordination with different Dorbar Shnong.
System in place
Dorbars, which are willing to make use of the system, have two options — locality-specific ordering from stores and MeghaMart online ordering and delivery.
The identified store is on-boarded and linked to the MeghaMart online ordering and payment platform. The process will be facilitated by InTown Solutions, Shillong.
Protocol for rural containment zones
Sohliya has also issued protocols for rural containment zones through locality/village specific stores in coordination with the Dorbar Shnongs and the system is the same while the online delivery system option is not there.
Other than the store delivery system, residents in containment zones can also opt for online mode wherein they can order directly from the Shillong Store or locality specific stores of MeghaMart (https://www.meghamart.com/store/shillong-store/), (https://www.meghamart.com/) or by calling or sending WhatsApp messages to the store’s helpline number 7085459248
The minimum order is Rs 200. The Dorbar Shnong has to identify a locality collection and distribution hub to which all orders of the locality will be delivered.
The Dorbar Shnong has to identify a collection and distribution hub coordinator who will coordinate with MeghaMart for deliveries and keep a record of such deliveries made.
AT A GLANCE
n People of the locality can place orders for provisions directly to the store on payment either over the phone, WhatsApp or through the online platform of MeghaMart.
n The Store either engages its own home delivery personnel from the locality or ties up with the COVID management / Dorbar Shnong volunteers to execute the home deliveries.
n The store fulfils the orders on payment by the customer either through online payment gateways, UPI, GPay, debit / credit cards or cash.
n The store will not be allowed to open for the public but will only execute home delivery orders. The suggested minimum order is Rs 200.
n A maximum of Rs 50 per order can be charged by the store from the customer as delivery fees which can be shared with the delivery personnel or the Dorbar Shnong as per decision and wisdom of the Dorbar Shnong
n The Dorbar shnong can also fix the delivery charges as per its discretion and wisdom but it cannot exceed Rs. 50 per order.
n The store(s) can refill / replenish their stocks from their own wholesalers / stockists / MeghaMart (18001021917) and these stocks can be delivered through 1917iTEAMS cargo vehicles if they wish or as per decision of the Dorbar Shnong in consultation with the Magistrates in Charge.
n For availing the services of 1917iTEAMS cargo vehicles the store owners can contact and book the vehicle through the toll free number of 18001021917 at a flat rate of Rs 500 per trip for containment zones. This is exclusive of loading and unloading charges which are to be borne by the store or its suppliers.