Chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited various markets on Thursday amidst concerns that the supply of grocery items and locally produced vegetables had taken a hit in certain parts of the city.
Milk and bread are scarce. The supply of fish, which is mostly from other states, is not abundant as well.
Mamata started her visit with Posta in Burrabazar before visiting the retail hubs of Taltala in central Calcutta and Gariahat in the south to get a sense of the goings-on. She has said supply of essentials should not be affected.
“Transporting vegetables is a challenge for some vendors in the absence of suburban trains,” an agriculture marketing department official said. “There’s hope that things will improve. All necessary instructions have been given to people concerned. Things will be out in another 24 hours.”
In Shyambazar in the north, and Jadu Babu Nazar, Lake Market and Gariahat in the south, many stores blamed the supply shortfall for running out of stock.
The suppliers, on their part, said they did not have sufficient number of people to do the job. Some accused cops of stopping supply vehicles, especially empty ones which were on their way to fetch goods. Supply chain workers are scared, they said.
A government official said the chief minister chose Posta because the availability of workers was important to the loading and unloading of goods and the biggest wholesale market in eastern India remained a vital source of grocery items and onions.
“There are several dharamsalas here. Labourers can be accommodated there,” Mamata told a team of police officers, led by commissioner Anuj Sharma. “Issue passes to those who are regulars at these markets. Let it be one pass, which will be valid across the state.”
She instructed an officer of the rank of additional police commissioner to act as “nodal officer” for Posta and adjoining areas.
Several traders in Burrabazar and Posta said they had not opened their shops because of shortage of labourers. Many had returned home to neighbouring states, they said.
A Lake Market trader blamed the police. “We don’t have any proper identity proof to satisfy the cops. Have you seen trucks with supplies outside Lake Market or Gariahat or Entally today (Thursday)?”
While speaking to vegetable vendors, the chief minister spoke of the need for social distancing and staying open. At Taltala and other markets, she drew circles outside shops to indicate the distance shoppers should keep among themselves in a queue.
At Gariahat, she told a vegetable seller: “While handing over the vegetable basket, see to it that your hands don’t touch that of the customer.