People resort to panic buying

Dakshina Kannada district administration’s choice on Thursday to impose weekend lockdown starting 10 a.m. on Friday until Monday morning and shrink the window for buying necessities from six hours to three hours on weekdays triggered panic buying throughout the district, together with Mangaluru, Puttur and different cities.

The district administration led by in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari on Thursday held an emergency assembly and determined to impose rigorous curbs because the variety of COVID-19 constructive circumstances didn’t cut back even after eight days of the curfew.

People lined up in entrance of departmental shops, outlets promoting grocery, greens, fruits, fish and meat, milk parlours and gas stations to refill for 3 days. A notification issued by Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra on Thursday stated no exercise, besides healthcare and pharmacy, could be allowed to operate in the course of the weekend lockdown so as to curb pointless motion of individuals.

Criticising the district administration’s sudden transfer, social activist Gerad Towers stated curbing folks’s actions unfold over six hours, from 6 a.m. to midday, to three hours, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., has resulted in chaos. Increased crowding would improve the unfold of the pandemic as an alternative of curbing it. If COVID-19 constructive circumstances enhance within the metropolis, the administration ought to solely be held accountable, he stated.

While the State authorities was mulling imposing full lockdown for a fortnight from Monday, Dakshina Kannada administration’s choice including extra circumstances to the State Disaster Management Authority’s order has triggered confusion. Attempts to get clarification from Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar as to whether or not district catastrophe administration committees may alter the State authority’s directive weren’t profitable.