By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 7: Amid mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, the Meghalaya government on Wednesday urged citizens to refrain from panic buying of essential commodities.
It asserted that the state has adequate supplies and there is no immediate threat to food security.
News of India striking terror hideouts across the border and fears of a possible retaliation by Pakistan triggered a surge in purchases on Wednesday.
“I request all the people in the state not to panic. We are continuously monitoring (the situation) and as of now, we have sufficient stock for all the districts. We also have buffer stocks,” Food and Civil Supplies Minister Comingone Ymbon appealed while addressing the media.
“Just in case the war situation escalates, we will monitor, review, and act accordingly,” he said.
Despite the minister’s assurance, people rushed to markets in Shillong and other parts of the state. The shelves of the grocery stores were half-empty by sundown.
This pattern of buying mirrored previous instances of national emergencies, although officials insisted the current situation is well under control.
The government also issued a stern warning to traders and shopkeepers against exploiting the situation by inflating the prices of essentials. “I request all shop owners not to do that, as the department’s price vigilance committee is constantly monitoring (the prices of commodities). We also have a dashboard,” Ymbon said.
He reassured the people that the state will not run out of stock anytime soon.
Officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department confirmed that buffer stocks have been strategically distributed across districts and that vigilance teams have been activated to curb any hoarding or black-marketing tendencies.
