News
Public in a quandary over sporadic, sometimes shortages of supplies to households
Karuwalagaswewa: Food stuff being distributed (above) and below a policeman checks permit of a food-distributing vehicle. Pic by Karuwalagaswewa Jayaratne
While the mechanism put in place to deliver essential food items to households has improved over the past two weeks, there are complaints that supply is sporadic in some areas while others are experiencing severe shortages of certain items.
The supply is currently maintained mainly by the private sector with the Government acting as a facilitator. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has already established a Presidential Task Force on Essential Services headed by former Minister Basil Rajapaksa to oversee these efforts.
Difficulties are greatest in the three districts of the Western Province along with Kandy, Puttalam and Jaffna, where an indefinite curfew is still in effect.
The Sunday Times spoke to affected individuals from various parts of the country regarding what food supplies they are getting and what items they currently lack.
Many households are reporting difficulties in obtaining dairy products, including milk and butter, as well as dry rations such as rice, flour, sugar and dhal. Meanwhile, those with infants are finding it difficult to obtain infant milk (baby formula). There is also a distinct shortage of spices, most notably saffron (kaha).
Some people also complained that not enough vehicles carrying essential food items are reaching them as they are living in by-lanes. Many living along or near main roads by contrast, said, they are getting a good number of such vehicles in their areas and are consequently, far better supplied.
In the absence of enough delivery vehicles, those who can are turning to online shopping, given that most supermarket chains and even smaller shops have started their own delivery services. This is meeting with varying degrees of success. Some we spoke to said supermarkets are either not delivering to their areas or that they did not have items they were looking for.
In some areas where items were lacking, people are fortunate to have their own vegetable crops or paddy fields. Those who had coconuts, jackfruit and other food items in their garden were sharing them as best they could with each other.
Those in areas outside the six districts under indefinite curfew noted that while they too are experiencing shortages of delivery vehicles, they are lucky in being able to venture out and look for essential food items when curfew is temporarily lifted.
Thanuja Nawarathne from Kottawa stated that while they get vehicles carrying vegetables and fish, it is difficult to find other grocery items, particularly dairy products. Thavisha Weerasinghe from Hanwella said that they were likewise getting vegetables and fish, but were lacking in dry rations.
While fish and vegetables were available in many areas, there were problems in some places. One resident of Hunupitiya said that by the time the vegetable truck comes over to their place, the vegetables are mostly sold out and what’s left are rotten. “None of the supermarkets deliver fresh veggies so we really are in a fix,” she added.
Umeshi Rabel, who lives in Panadura, right on the border with Moratuwa, said that her lane was getting almost nothing. Three lorries carrying vegetables, dry fish and fish have come only once a week. “Plus the regular ‘chun paan’ guy who comes from the Moratuwa side is not allowed to come as he is not supposed to cross the bridge as he would then technically be crossing districts. So we don’t get our regular guy nor the other ones,” she said.
From the Government side, food delivery efforts are coordinated at the District Secretariat and Divisional Secretariat level. The District Secretary has a committee under him consisting of senior officials including Divisional Secretaries and Assistant Divisional Secretaries. It is this committee that oversees the supply efforts in coordination with the police and local authorities on the ground down to the respective Grama Niladharis.
There is a misconception that the Government is providing food to people in areas under curfew, said Prof. Charitha Herath, Head of Communications at the Presidential Task Force on Essential Services. “What we do is to facilitate private vendors to move into these areas so that they can sell the necessary food items,” he said, adding that the Government’s own retail arm, Sathosa, is not strong enough to deliver goods throughout the country.
While the Task Force, together with local officials are doing their best to ensure that regular deliveries happened in all areas, Prof. Herath said that it was inevitable that there will be difficulties given the extraordinary situation the country found itself in.
Nevertheless, he added that the public can call the operations centre of the Presidential Task Force on Essential Services entrusted with the operation, coordination and monitoring of essential services set up at Temple Trees to let the Task Force know about any shortages of food items in their areas so that it can get in touch with relevant authorities on the ground to find solutions. The 24-hour operations centre can be contacted directly on 011-3456200, 011-3456201, 011-3456202, 011-3456203 or 011-3456204. It can also be reached via Fax on 011-2333066 or 0114-354882 and via email on ptf@pmoffice.gov.lk.
Additionally, the public can also contact their respective Divisional Secretariats regarding any issues they have regarding food supply.