Some People Stocking Up On Groceries, Essential Medicines; Fear Shortages Due To Supply Chain Disruptions If Indo-Pak Tension Escalates

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Some people in the city have started stocking up on groceries and other essential items as a precautionary measure fearing that the Indo-Pak border conflict may take a serious turn.

These items include foodgrains, wheat flour, salt, edible oil, sugar, tea leaves, medicines, spices and even torches and dry cells. Some are also withdrawing cash from ATMs because they fear that Internet services may be suspended,

President of Bhopal Beauty Parlours Association, Sarita Shrivastava told Free Press that she and her husband, both senior citizens, live alone. “I have seen the earlier wars and I know what they mean,” she said, adding that they are planning to buy groceries and some essential medicines. “We have become so dependent on UPI payments that we hardly keep any cash at home. But now we are planning to withdraw some to be prepared for Internet shutdowns,” she said.

A businessman, Shirish, said that this month, they have bought double their monthly groceries. “In the first week of every month, we normally visit a departmental store and buy dal-chawal-aata, oil, salt, sugar etc. to last for one month. This time we have bought enough to last for two months as a matter of precaution,” he said, adding that they have also stocked medicines for hypertension, diabetes etc which have to be taken regularly by his aged parents.

Rajshree Trivedi, the founder of Trikarshi Natya Sanstha, said that her relatives live in Chandigarh and the border districts of Rajasthan. “They have told me that schools and colleges there have been shut. That has made me somewhat apprehensive of what is going to happen,” she said that they had to shop for a marriage in the family but have put it off as they want to avoid visiting crowded places. “I have told my son to buy paracetamol, and some other basic medicines in case supply is disrupted. Also, we would stock some groceries,” Trivedi added.

For the past three-four days, I am noticing that around five per cent of my regular customers are buying more than they usually did. They are mainly buying grocery items like sugar, salt, wheat flour, pulses, spices, besides all,” said Iftekhar who runs a kirana store in the Old City. He said that the customers are doing so for safety precautions and to deal with any emergency situation.