lack of small denomination currency on Friday triggered rumours of black marketing of essential commodities like salt as some shopkeepers in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi refused to provide change when offered with higher denomination notes.
Rumours spread via the social media — particularly WhatsApp — triggered panic among people in the evening who rushed to markets to buy salt, which was being sold at exorbitant prices going as high as Rs 250 per kg.
In Delhi’s Okhla, violent protesters damaged DTC buses and rampaged shops, said sources. However, police swiftly brought the situation under control.
There were reports of salt being sold at a premium but they could not be confirmed independently. "I had gone to a mall in Mayur Vihar phase one where salt was out of stock. Then I went to Trilokpuri where salt was being sold at Rs 55 per kilogram as shopkeepers do not have change to offer," Abhishek Roy, an executive with a telecom major told PTI.
The Delhi Government late on Friday appealed to Delhiites not to pay attention to rumours of shortage of salt in the city and assured that there is no scarcity of such essential commodity. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said teams of food supply officers and sub-divisional magistrates are rounding city's markets where salt is available in sufficient stock. later, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also assured that there is no shortage of salt and sugar in Delhi.
UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday night said there is no dearth of the commodity and appealed to the people not to pay attention to such rumours and avoid panic buying. He also directed the Chief Secretary, Principal
Secretary (Food) and all District Magistrates to take action against those indulge in hoarding, black marketing and creating artificial scarcity of the commodity, and warned strict action against them.
In Moradabad, there were reports of panicked customers flocking to market as rumours flew thick and fast that salt has gone out of shelves and shopkeepers are selling at a premium. Circle Officer Kotwali area Poonam Mishra said police has been sent to Katra Naj from where reports of black marketing had emanated. She said complaints will be filed against some shopkeepers for allegedly triggering the rumours of salt shortage and charging premium for providing essential commodities.
In Allahabad, some claimed that shopkeepers in certain parts of the city were refusing to sell the salt. Zainab Zafar, a resident of the city's Kareli area, "It was shocking that salt was not available in many of the local kiraana shops here, with some of the shopkeepers refusing to sell it saying the prices of salt will escalate tomorrow and will cost around Rs 300 per kg."
Zoha Rahman, a resident of Bamrauli on the city's outskirts, said kirana shops reopened in the night with people thronging them to buy salt following the news that it will soon go out of stock and its prices will sky-rocket.