Bhubaneswar: With the Odisha government going for state-wide lockdown from May 5 to 19 to break the COVID-19 chain, people have been requested to stay calm and not resort to panic buying.
Development Commissioner-cum-Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena has appealed people not to crowd shops in the city.
Jena urged the people to desist from panic buying as shops selling groceries, vegetables, milk, egg, fish, meat, food, daily ration and essentials shall remain open from 6 am to 12 noon from Monday to Friday during the lockdown.
However, all these shops shall only remain closed on Saturday and Sunday, which is declared as weekend shutdown.
Stating that there have been reports of people crowding markets and shops to stock-up on home essentials, he said there is sufficient stock of essential commodities in the market.
Jena said “there is no restriction on transportation of food items and goods during the lockdown and things will be available.”
“There is no need to rush to the shops as that will defeat the purpose of breaking the COVID chain. Going to crowded places will infect you and ultimately your family,” the SRC cautioned.