Vegetable supply may be affected in Mohali

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 2

The door-to-door vegetable supplyn in Chandigarh and Mohali are likely to be hit as most of the vendors from Jagatpura village are not being allowed to move out of their houses after a positive Covid-19 case surfaced on Wednesday.

Tension had gripped the area as 20 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are now in charge of the area instead of the Punjab Police.

A senior police official said the densely populated area had been handed over to the CRPF as it was important for villagers, including migrants, to follow the curfew restrictions in the area.

Most of the vendors bring vegetables from the Sector 26 grain market and sell it to residents in Mohali, along with nearby Sector 48, 49, 50, 47 and 46. Now, with the sealing of villages, the supply of vegetables would be affected.

A 55-year-old resident of Jagatpura was found positive for Covid-19. He had been in contact with the 22-year-old patient from Sector 30 who had a travel history to Dubai.

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said the district administration had accepted the services of the CRPF because the village was densely populated. He said the area had been sealed for a day and if no other positive case was found, vegetable vendors would be allowed to move out of the village. He said more than 40 samples had been sent for testing from the possible contacts of the Covid-19 positive case.

Girish Dayalan said for maintaining consistent supply of milk to people, the district administration has coordinated with Verka and from March 23 to April 2, 8 lakh litres of milk has been supplied to those living in the Mohali city. He said besides this, 73,707-kg curd, 9,906-kg paneer and 62,186 litres of lassi have also been supplied to people.

Similarly, from March 26 to April 1, a total of 530 tonnes of vegetables have been sold in the district. In Mohali and Kharar, 274 tonnes, 95 tonnes in Lalru, 30 tonnes in Dera Bassi, 70 tonnes in Zirakpur, 37 tonnes in Kurali and 30 tonnes of vegetables have been sold in Banur.