Salt at Rs 400/kg? Wake up India, this is a crisis! Or, is it?
Yesterday, thanks to rumours being spread about a looming shortage of salt in some parts of the county, rushing to the nearest grocery shop to stock up on salt was the order of the day. As a result, opportunistic shopkeepers began selling salt at prices that touched a peak of Rs 400/kg in many parts of U.P.
The rumour generated panic on a scale that was reminiscent of the Lord Ganesha drinking ‘milk’ frenzy in the mid-90s. The current rumour was a double whammy for people who have been at their wits end trying to figure out the consequences and impact of demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.
Such was the panic that police had to be deployed in many parts of U.P to control restless crowds that were building up outside grocery shops. As it is, the state governments across the country have been trying to cope with restless crowds in long lines outside banks and ATMs, trying to deal with a situation no one was prepared for.
In fact, Chief Minister of U.P, Akhilesh Yadav, had to instruct his Principal Secretary of Food & Civil Supplies to issue a statement of assurance on availability of adequate salt stocks in the state and also instructed him to ensure that there was no shortage or bottlenecks in supply of salt reaching retail outlets. The Union Minister of Food & Civil Supplies Ram Vilas Pawan, too, issued a statement assuring people of adequate salt stocks in the country.
By evening, the panic had subsided but the damage was done.
Salt at Rs 400/kg? Wake up India, this is a crisis! Or, is it?
Yesterday, thanks to rumours being spread about a looming shortage of salt in some parts of the county, rushing to the nearest grocery shop to stock up on salt was the order of the day. As a result, opportunistic shopkeepers began selling salt at prices that touched a peak of Rs 400/kg in many parts of U.P.
The rumour generated panic on a scale that was reminiscent of the Lord Ganesha drinking ‘milk’ frenzy in the mid-90s. The current rumour was a double whammy for people who have been at their wits end trying to figure out the consequences and impact of demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.
Such was the panic that police had to be deployed in many parts of U.P to control restless crowds that were building up outside grocery shops. As it is, the state governments across the country have been trying to cope with restless crowds in long lines outside banks and ATMs, trying to deal with a situation no one was prepared for.
In fact, Chief Minister of U.P, Akhilesh Yadav, had to instruct his Principal Secretary of Food & Civil Supplies to issue a statement of assurance on availability of adequate salt stocks in the state and also instructed him to ensure that there was no shortage or bottlenecks in supply of salt reaching retail outlets. The Union Minister of Food & Civil Supplies Ram Vilas Pawan, too, issued a statement assuring people of adequate salt stocks in the country.
By evening, the panic had subsided but the damage was done.
