Bhubaneswar: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain asked Wednesday civil supply officers (CSOs) to check black marketing and hoarding of essential consumable items.
This development comes as Odisha went into a 15- day lockdown beginning Wednesday. There is a possibility that some traders may resort to hoarding of essentials like potato, onion, edible oil and wheat during lockdown.
So the minister has directed the CSOs of various districts to personally visit grocery shops and store houses and check on those.
Swain in his official Twitter handle said Odisha has sufficient stock of all essential goods and there is no need to resort to panic buying.
The state government is keeping a vigilant eye on availability of the essential items, he said. Field level officials have been directed to visit shops every day and take action against traders who unnecessarily hoard items, the minister stated.
During lockdown, shops providing ration under PDS and stores selling groceries, fruits, vegetables, dairy and milk products, meat, fish, animal fodder, seeds and pesticides have been allowed to open.
These shops will remain open Monday to Friday (6.00am to 12 noon). However weekly and daily haats will remain closed.
PNN