PANJIM: With State government issuing an order on March 30 to ensure prevention of black marketing, hoarding and maintenance of essential supplies for the benefit of the common people and also ordering all the retail stores, stockists and wholesalers to remain open or face stringent action; all of this has not augured well amidst the retail store owners in the State.
Herald talked to several of them who are engaged in retail business and all of them have issues of short supply as the supply chain has not been restored properly as yet. Even though the supplies did start trickling in since Tuesday morning, the amount was not sufficient for the people who are sceptical that this lockdown will continue even after the 21-day.
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Partner of Magsons, one of the biggest retail chains in Goa, Kirit Maganlal, said, “This order is flawed. It cannot threaten large format stores to open if staff is unwilling to come. Their families are justified in not sending them. Why should they risk their lives when all and sundry sit at home?”
A peeved Maganlal ,who initially even wanted his license revoked by the state govt added that, “retail does not come under the essential services Act and cannot be forced. For large format stores, for every one unique customer that enters, we need to service back-up and back-end staff to run the machinery. The stick cannot be made the law. This is the unfortunate reality.”
Maganlal further asked, “Why is the sale of liquor suspended? There is no code of conduct. Forget stand alone liquor shops but what about liquor being sold in supermarkets and grocery stores as part of their business activity?”
Meanwhile Magsons which had pending order of over 3,500, has cancelled and requested its customers to order freshly as they have now tied –up with Swiggy which is helping them deliver the goods ordered in their app. This system started working from Tuesday afternoon.
Even the lifeguard company, Drishti Marine, which continues to man and protect the 103 kilometres of Goa coastlines, has extended its helping hand to help distribute the goods.
“Even though we are continuing our primary job of keeping the beaches of Goa safe, we are happy to put our services for needy establishments at their disposal to use it for the general public of Goa, with whatever infrastructure and resources we can mobilise at this hour of crisis,” said Ravi Shankar, CEO of Drishti Marine.
Many of the big retail stores who are into home delivery, have less supply to cater to the general public and they want the supply chain to be resurrected as soon as possible. Almost all of them are now supplying to various complexes in neighbourhood.
Anil Pereira, Partner of Delfinos whose stores are shut said, “We are facing a little bit of inconvenience but we have started getting stocks like vegetables etc. We are doing door to door deliveries. It is a bad time for everyone and one cannot blame the government alone. It is an unprecedented situation and everyone has to do some sacrifice. Being the biggest store in Goa, people will throng into the premises, the moment we open it. We took that responsibility so the issue of safe distance can be maintained. Why take a chance? We are online and delivering the ‘packages of necessary items’ to those needy first who are in desperate situation. We have already sold 500-600 packages.”
Pereira hoped that with the supplies now trickling in, things would streamline in two to three days; and that then there should not be the worry of panic buying, which had happened earlier.
Vinay Borkar, Partner in Borkars, which has 11 outlets in Goa, feels that the retail shops can only open if there is stock to sell. “Yes, the notice is there because many shop owners may hoard and sell. In fact, we are delivering at home and selling all goods at the printed price. In fact we will open our shop from 3 pm to 7 pm at Margao. However, our major problem is that staff is not ready to come for work even if we are sending our vehicles to ferry them. It is difficult for us to keep it open 24×7 without much stock. Groceries are sold off the shelf within an hour. Supplies need to be there so that we get the items. Places like Mumbai and Pune have no shortage of supply,” Borkar added.
