With cyclone ‘Dana’ looming on the state, people in Odisha’s coastal districts have resorted to panic buying as weathermen forecast the well-marked low-pressure area turning into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 48 to 72 hours hours.

The buying of additional essential commodities has become part of the disaster preparedness among the people living in cyclone-prone districts of the state. At least 14 districts have been put on alert in view of the cyclonic storm forecast. The scenario of people crowding the marketplaces to buy ration is too glaring to escape notice in these parts.

As the residents are gearing themselves to face unpredictable nature without waiting for the government agencies, the panic buying has triggered scarcity of the essential commodities

Essential commodities like potatoes, flour, and flattened rice stay on the top of buyers’ lists. And these commodities may go out of stock from the markets shortly.

Prices of all vegetables have gone upward with potatoes being sold at Rs 60-a-kg from its earlier price of Rs 30-a-kg.

The rising trend of essential commodities continues in high alert districts including vulnerable Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur despite warnings issued by the State Government on black marketers.

The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra had earlier warned that strong action will be taken against traders who will indulge in black marketing and illegal hoarding of essential consumable items.

“Sale is brisk. Since today morning, people have gone on a buying spree. I had 3 quintals of potatoes and 2 quintals of onion stock. It has got exhausted by today evening”, said a trader in Kendrapara town, Ramkrushna Behera.

It is better to stock the basic required items. We have procured additional stock in view of the apprehension of natural calamity impounding our place, said Mahendra Mandal, a resident of seaside Dhamra in Bhadrak district, which is put on high alert.

There is an adequate stock of food items. Through the public address system, people have been asked not to become panicky. There is a possibility of unscrupulous traders creating artificial scarcity of food items. The food and civil supplies department personnel have been asked to prevent such artificial scarcity and take to task those resorting to hoarding in view of the impending cyclone, Kendrapara Collector Smruti Ranjan Pradhan.

“My village is prone to cyclone strikes. Therefore we procure an additional stock of essential items each time the government sounds cyclone warning”, said a resident of Ambiki, Gajendra Rout.

“There is a sense of preparedness among the people. Many are found buying essential commodities and ration. One may call it panic buying. The administration has procured foodstuffs and dry foods to face the exigencies. Traders have been warned that ESMA would be invoked against them if they were found hoarding essential commodities”, added Collector Pradhan.

There are reports of people buying ration and essential items invariably in all the villages including the urban centres. Though the administration has initiated steps asking the Sarpanchs to store rations in panchayat warehouses, villagers are spontaneously buying goods for daily needs. We will take stern action on overpricing the sale of commodities, said Nilu Mohapatra, Additional District Magistrate (revenue) Kendrapara.