Daringbadi: Even though the Kandhamal district administration has time and again said that there will not be shortage of essential commodities, residents of Daringibadi block are resorting to panic buying due to coronavirus scare. PDS beneficiaries are crowding ration shops flouting social distancing norms with impunity to hoard food grains and other items.
To prevent crowding in front of the ration shops, the district administration had devised cards with numbers to identify the beneficiaries. However, the moment ration shops are opening here people are making a beeline to buy items in bulk.
As per the Odisha government advisory, the district administration has drawn circles at a distance of one metre each in front of ration shops to maintain social distancing. But no one is adhering to the norm and this has become a headache for the police as well as administrative officials.
To ensure that there is no shortage of food for the poor during the lockdown, the Odisha government had earlier decided to supply three months of advance ration to the PDS beneficiaries.
PNN