Team Herald
Margao: Lack of clear-cut information and multiple delays in delivery services added to the chaos that prevailed across Salcete on Thursday.
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While the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has not devised any system, to facilitate home delivery of essential commodities; Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai announced a home delivery system through an app. However, there were problems here too on Thursday due to the lockdown restrictions in place. While it should get sorted, locals from Margao have been questioning about the availability of such services in the town. A supermarket chain started the same in good spirit but hit a major roadblock after the staff who packed the essentials decided not to work due to the scare of positive cases.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat on Thursday morning had stated, “Rather than using temporary measures, the government should immediately follow the Central order, which mandates relaxation to open essential commodities groceries shops,”. He added that there are poor people who earn a daily wage and spend that money on their daily food consumption and have no additional stock.
Margao Municipality Chairperson Pooja Naik said, “We do not have a mechanism for food delivery as yet but we are devising some right now.
Many Horticulture Corporation vegetable stalls have shown a willingness to deliver vegetables to the people but were too frightened to leave their homes as they were worried about the police presence across the Town.
Some members of the public took it upon themselves to distribute food to the homeless as well as stray animals.
In the villages around Margao and Salcete, shops were closed in the morning but in some places, grocery stores remained open for a short period for volunteers and others to purchase essential commodities.
There are also some panchayats who are attempting to devise a system.
Carmona Sarpanch Alwyn George said, “We are trying to compile a list of grocery stores, which will be authorized by the deputy collector for door step delivery. The panchayat as a whole cannot act as a grocery store but can coordinate with other shop owners to put a system in place for people to buy essential goods” he said.
Aquem Baixo Panch Siddhesh Bhagat said that they are coordinating a food delivery system for some wards and especially for stray animals and pets too.
The above was stated before the State government announced on Thursday night, that grocery stores will be open 24/7.
