People protest price hike of essentials in containment zone in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: Residents of Dumduma containment zone on Wednesday staged protest alleging exorbitant hike in prices of essential commodities being supplied to them. The suppliers, however, told them that the rate of vegetables and other essentials has been fixed by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). A resident of Subhash Nagar slum which is under containment Satyanarayan Biswal said cooking oil which is available for Rs 103 outside the containment zone is being solf at Rs 112 here.
Similarly, brinjals are being sold for Rs 80 per kg, onions at Rs 40 per kg and potatoes at Rs 30 per kg. He alleged that not only are the prices high but the quality of vegetables is also bad.
The agitators also requested the State Government to provide financial assistance to the needy in the zone. There are 310 families in the locality and many are daily wage labourers who struggled during the lockdown but starting working after the restrictions were relaxed.
However, with the area being declared a containment zone, they are left with no money to even buy essentials. Residents of the zone have written to the BMC Zonal Deputy Commissioner requesting financial assistance for such people.
Khandagiri IIC Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra and the Ward officer visited the spot and pacified the protestors by assuring that their demands will be looked into.
The BMC had declared a part of Dumduma as containment zone on June 20 after detection of five coronavirus positive cases from Subash Nagar slum of the locality.