Many steel city residents resorted to panic buying on Monday despite the administration’s assurance of essential goods including vegetables, food grains and grocery stores not being under the ambit of the statewide lockdown.

“We got message that stocks would run out as transport of essential goods including vegetables and food grains would be affected due to lockdown in most of the neighbouring states including Odisha, Bihar and Bengal,” said Golmuri resident Subhashish Mohanty, a bank clerk and who managed to stock up from a grocery outlet in Bhalubhasa after standing in a long queue.

“ We had no option as we are not sure if things would improve by March 31 (the date till which the lockdown has been announced) but tried to make the most of the available opportunity and stocked enough essential food grains to last till the end of the month.”

On Monday morning, chief minister Hemant Soren tweeted that the state has supplies to last months and promised that essential supplies will not be in short supply. He said instructions had been given to every district administration including police to ensure there was no hoarding or black markets.

However, shopkeepers had their own problems.

“We rely on distributors and they have said that stock of essential commodities is very less,” said Roushan Sahu, a shopkeeper in Sidhgora.

“They have already increased prices of flour. We already have scarce supply of Amul milk and dairy products and only rely on Sudha and Medha Dairy products. Administration should ensure that food items are available in quantities.”

Reports of similar panic buying in different parts of the city prompted East Singhbhum deputy commissioner (DC) Ravi Shankar Shukla to issue an order directing leading retail chain outlets of Reliance Fresh and Big Bazaar to stay open.

“We would like to inform the masses not to indulge in panic buying as all the grocery stores, vegetable shops and those selling essential commodities like milk would remain open during the lockdown period in addition to fuel pumps, medicine shops, banks and ATMs. We have also asked the retail chains like Reliance Fresh to keep open their vegetables and grocery outlets,” the DC said.

Additional district magistrate (law and order) Nand Kishore Lal said: “Getting complaints of increase in prices of food items by stores we have constituted six teams comprising magistrates and local police stations to keep a tab on such complaints and any outlet trying to hoard goods and increase price significantly will face legal action. The teams will be conducting random checks of the stores.”

However, in capital Ranchi there was no such order to open retail chains like Reliance Fresh and Big Bazaar during lockdown.

“We have sufficient number of grocery and vegetable shops opened in Ranchi and we have not given permission for Reliance Fresh and Big Bazaar to open their outlets,” said Ranchi sub divisional magistrate Lokesh Mishra.

The East Singhbhum administration also directed for constitution of a special cell at Krishi Utpadhan Bazaar Samity (KUBS—the agriculture market yard where edible items are brought from various parts of the country). “We have held a meeting with wholesalers of all commodities to sell food at specified rates. We are monitoring the situation so that nobody takes undue advantage and increases the prices of edible items,” said KUBS secretary Sanjay Kachyap.

The DC said Suvidha centres will be opened in six localities, Sakchi, Bistupur, Kadma, Mango, Telco and Krishi Utpadhan Bazaar Samity and Parsudih, to sell food grains at subsidized rates during the lockdown period.

Meanwhile, even after the administration clamping Section 144 of the CrPC, auto-rickshaws could be seen moving — though fewer than usual — on important roads. Vehicles were also on roads, though fewer than usual.

“Yesterday (Sunday) people obeyed Janata Curfew but it seems they have not taken the lockdown seriously,” said ADM Lal. “We are informing people through public address that they should stay at home otherwise penal action would be taken under Jharkhand State Epidemic Diseases (Covid-19) Regulations 2020. We were a bit lenient today. However, from tomorrow (Tuesday) police and district administration will be stern against any violators. This will continue till March 31.”

Shops in most commercial hubs — such as Bistupur, Sakchi, Golmuri, Kadma, Sonari and Telco — downed shutters on Monday.

Jail threat

Those found violating the lockdown will be taken to task on the basis of CCTV footage, Jamshedpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Anoop Birtharay said on Monday. The SSP said lockdown violators would booked under provisions that would make them liable for six months of jail.