People rush to stock up on essentials

Coimbatore: People crowded grocery shops, vegetable and fish markets, and ATMs by flouting Covid-19 precautionary measures on Sunday to buy and stock things ahead of the total lockdown, which would come into effect from Monday, despite the government making it clear that the shops selling essentials items would be allowed to function for limited hours during the period.
This irresponsible behaviour from the public comes at a time when the daily spike in Covid-19 cases is touching new highs and many battling for their lives.
It was to contain the virus that the state government announced full lockdown from May 10 to 24. To ensure supply of essential commodities to the citizens, the government had permitted grocery shops, confectionaries and fish and meat shops to function from 6am to noon. As such there was no reason for people to resort to panic buying.
Hospitals would be functioning round the clock during the period, when medicines, milk supply and other essential services wouldn’t be affected. However, movement of people would be restricted.
Ukkadam fish market, chicken and mutton shops were crowded on the day. Earlier, the fish and meat shops were not allowed to function on Sundays. “Our business was severely affected in the past few weeks. And in a welcome move the government has now allowed us to function every day during the total lockdown till 12pm. We will follow the covid-19 norms,” said a fish seller.
Grocery shops on Range Gowder Street also drew large crowds in the morning and evening. Large crowds also thronged the Uzhavar Sandhai at Singanallur and on Cowley Brown Road. The scene wasn’t any different at TK market and Sukrawarpet market.
City bus stands also witnessed a heavy rush for the second consecutive day, with people hurrying to get back to their hometowns before the complete lockdown kicks in. Most of the government mofussil buses to Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, Trichy and Karur districts were plying fully packed with many passengers travelling on footboards.
The scene was chaotic at the Tasmac outlets in the district, as several hundreds of people made a beeline for liquor bottles to be used during the lockdown period, when the sops would remain closed.
ATM centres also recorded a large crowd on the day as many preferred to keep enough cash in hand, as they didn’t want to step out of their houses to withdraw money during the lockdown period.