Delhi to Face Shortage of Coffee, Biscuits, Diapers if Lockdown Extends | Earth Indian

New Delhi: As the Centre has dropped ample hints that the ongoing lockdown will be extended beyond May 3, with several relaxations being allowed in different zones, a Delhi government panel has said that Delhi will face a shortage of items — dependent on imports — like coffee, diapers, oil and cereals

According to a PTI report, the panel said items of particular brands such as shampoos, moisturizers, biscuits, sanitizers and cigarettes are in short supply in the city markets. Some of the products of reputed companies may not be available on the shelves, resulting in an increase in the sale of small and homemade brands, it said.

Earlier this month, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev had constituted an empowered group on facilitating supply chain and logistics management for the availability of necessary items, including food and medicines in Delhi in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

The high-empowered panel, headed by Food and Civil Supplies Commissioner Ankita Mishra Bundela, said all essential medicines are reported to be available. She said there is no report about the scarcity of essential medicines, but factories are told to be operating at less than 50 per cent of their capacity.

“The distributors may not be able to make supplies of all medicines if the production remains affected at the source level for a long time,” it said.

In its first report submitted to the chief secretary, the panel said there is a general shortage of labour for loading and unloading of goods.

“The products of some of the prominent Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) are not available at some of the stores, but the goods of alternative brand/homemade brand are generally available,” it said.

By Shivam Urkude || Earth Indian