While the entire nation is struggling amid the covid-19 pandemic, some people doesn’t seem to understand the gravity of the situation and use it as an opportunity for their own personal gains.
With the rising demand for products like hand sanitizers, masks and almost all the essential commodities, the temptation to fool and loot the public becomes ever more aluring.
But is this the right time to make a profit?
The sudden surge in prices of essential commodities has put the entire Shillong city in a state of dilemma, where one cannot hide or run away but pay for the things being sold double the price.
The entire nation has been put under lockdown for quite a number of days for a reason and it’s not that everyone is unaware of the prevailing situation. However, the negative impact on demand resulting from the spread of the covid-19 has further contributed to the rise in prices in Northeast India.
Here, I would like to question the mentality of those people who are taking advantage during a crisis where the one, who is suppose to lend a helping hand, is instead pushing away, taking advantage for their selfish needs.
What should the rise in price be called- “immortal burden” or “human selfishness”?
In few pockets of the city, the shopkeepers were seen charging double the price of essential items; the price of one tray of eggs being sold at Rs. 280, for a cabbage Rs. 70, a pack beetle leaf Rs. 1000/1500, for a seer of lady’s finger Rs. 50/60, tomato for Rs 60, lemon Rs. 20 while mask, which is a must is being sold in the pharmacy/shops at Rs. 200, 300 and so on.
It is understandable that transportation of goods during lockdown is an issue, but the idea of selling essential goods for big money is absolutely preposterous. How can someone levy personal tax on people purposely when the retailers and sellers know that presently they are the only source where one can get essential commodities from?
The impasse of increase in price along with the current lockdown seems abominable; presently, the time is in a paused mode with the citizens being forced to stay at home with no source of income or income that is evaporating from one’s hand.
Well, what should a common man do for one time meal on the table and roof on the head?
The prevailing scenario has suddenly chopped off the income while jolting the outcome of each and every household; how on earth can one survive with a handful of money that he had saved?
As it is said, a coin has two sides, when in one hand, there are a number of good Samaritans helping the poor and needy with free food and essential items on a day-to-day basis while on the other, there are a few who are looting their own people at the time of crisis.
May I ask – will you sell humanity too for double the price?
In a meeting that was held last month Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stressed that supply of essential items should not be impacted, while black marketing and hoarding must be prevented. As per the government, the stocks of essential commodities are enough for the citizens to deal at this crisis situation.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma also took to twitter stating that action will be taken if any kind of overpricing of essential commodities takes place. It is also mandated that every shop must display the price of different products at their stores.
Presently, the challenge for the state government is not only to revive the growth in the economy, but also to manage inflation so as to protect the poor and provide them a meal per day.
At this hour it is necessary that the citizens are being made aware of the fair price and the importance of RTI and how it is regulated, so to protect them from being looted and these objectives can be achieved through awareness as to cope up with the present situation where nobody has a clue of when this pandemic would end.
It is such an irony that while the whole nation continues with its hypocrisy of “We are together in this fight of covid-19” but are divided in terms of price, ethical values, in terms of social values.
Lets not just ‘say it’ but ‘follow it’. It is our time to prove that ‘We are one’ and are together in this fight against human race and pendemic.
Stay Home, Stay Safe!