GUWAHATI: Ahead of the week-long lockdown in three districts of Assam, starting Monday, people made a beeline for markets and shops in three districts of Assam, scrambling to buy essentials and much more and putting social distancing and Covid norms to the test, the reason the lockdown had to be imposed in the first place in a bid to control the spread of the virus.
The state government had on Friday declared a seven-day lockdown in Biswanath and Marigaon districts and in Goalpara and Bokakhat sub-divisions of Golaghat district with an aim to break the chain of transmission.
Together, they contain 247 hotspot areas that have reported more than 10 Covid-19 cases daily on an average for the last seven days.
On Sunday, several areas at Jagiroad in Morigaon and Goalpara witnessed huge rush with people, many of them without masks, flouting safety norms amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Markets, especially those selling vegetables, grocery items, and chicken and meat shops witnessed a surge in crowd as people resorted to panic buying, throwing caution to the wind.
“Since there is lockdown from Monday, we are buying items in bulk.
We may not get anything for the next seven days.
I am buying groceries for a month as a precautionary measure,” said a local in Jagiroad.
“With people resorting to bulk purchase, the price of essentials have also increased.
Many people are stocking up on more than they require,” said a trader from Bokakhat.
Officials said they have made elaborate arrangements in view of the lockdown and appealed to the people to refrain from panic buying.
“Shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder will remain open till 5 pm in Biswanath, Marigaon and Goalpara and Bokakhat sub-divisions in Golaghat,” an ASDMA official said..