EMN
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 15
ALLUDING panic over rumours of acute shortage of salt, Director of Food & Civil Supplies, Nagaland, Sedevikho Khro today said there is enough stock of iodised salt in the State.
In a release, Khro said following reports of rumours of acute shortage of iodised salt, the officials of Food & Civil Supplies department along with district administration and police conducted physical verification in the godown of the stockiest on Friday and found that there is sufficient stock of salt. He also informed that a total of 94,000 kgs of Everyday/Prime I/O Plus barnd salt have been distributed among the wholesalers of Dimapur. Besides, there is a balance of five lakh kgs of these brands of iodised salt lying in the godown of the distributor concerned, he added. Meanwhile, rumours of shortage of salt in Dimapur created panic amongst the consumers in the state capital today.
Official sources revealed that news about shortage of salt and subsequent hike in price of the essential food ingredient in Bihar led to consumers making bee line in front of grocery shops early this morning. Sources said taking advantage of the situation some of the shopkeepers tried to sell the item at higher rates, even to the extent of Rs 40 to Rs 100 per kg.
The situation in the morning was frantic with house wives and neighbours informing each other, even over phone, other about shortage of salt, one of the most essential food ingredients.
Consumers were seen lining up before the grocery shops even before it opened this morning. However, the district administration normalized the sale while also cautioning the shopkeepers not to hike salt price.
Unconfirmed sources said in High School area consumers finished buying 150 bags of salt loaded in a public carrier early morning. Sources also said people were worriedly purchasing not just 1-2 kgs but upto 10-15 kgs.
SP Kohima Rhothihü Tetseo, while agreeing that the impact was visible in the state capital this morning, however, said the district administration and police took control of the situation and even warned shopkeepers against hiking the prices.
He also said even as the supply of salt from Bihar is stopped, people should not worry as it can also be brought from Odissa.
Concerned about the situation, Kitsubozou Panchayat along with GBs and KMC officials (residents of the colony) held an emergency meeting and passed resolution that any shop-keeper found selling the salt at higher rates would be expelled from the colony.
On Thursday evening, Dimapur witnessed a dramatic scene wherein the panic stricken residents were seem scrambling for a packet of common salt following dubious rumours over its short supply in the following next couple of days.
Rumours in Mokokchung
Sporadic rumors of shortage of salt in the market created panic among the denizens leading to rush in the stores from early hour on Friday.
The situation would have resulted in escalation of salt price. But the situation was brought to normal by the timely intervention of the district administration and Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce & Industries (MCCI) through public announcement in the town making the people understand the ground reality there is no such shortage of salt in the market. The people were further informed not to panic through such rumours in near future without asserting the actual situation.
The Chumukedima Chamber of Trade and Commerce Association (CCTCA) has warned all shops in Chumukedima area not to sell salt above the normal price taking advantage of the false rumours. Informing the public not to panic, it warned that any shops caught red handed selling salt above normal prices will severely punished. The CCTCA also asked the public to contact phone numbers 9862192364, 9862273914, 8415088139 if any shops are selling salt above the normal market price.
The BJYM Nagaland has strongly condemned the rumours spread in the entire State that salt will be out of market soon and urged public not to fall prey to this kind of ‘unbelievable trap’.
It urged the competent authority to take immediate precautionary measures in the market and check selling prices of salt. It also urged the law enforcing agency to trace out the culprits who spread the rumour at the earliest and award them befitting punishment as per the provision of law.
