Asking the states to invoke the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday wrote to all state chief secretaries to ensure availability of essential items during the lockdown period. "Invoke provisions of Essential Commodities Act, fix stock limits, cap prices, enhance production of essential commodities," Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla instructed on Wednesday.
The orders have come following reports on loss of production due to various factors, including hoarding, black marketing, profiteering, and speculative trading, resulting in price rise of essential goods. The states have been asked to take urgent steps to ensure availability of these commodities at fair prices for the public at large.
It is to be noted that offences under Essential Commodities Act are criminal acts, resulting in imprisonment of seven years or fine or both.
India entered the 15th day of the 21-day lockdown on Wednesday. The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 149 and the number of cases to 5,194 in the country on Wednesday, according to the Union health ministry. While the number of active COVID-19 cases is 4,643, as many as 401 people were cured and discharged and one had migrated, it said. The total number of cases include 70 foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, the government is likely to take a final call on extending the lockdown for coronavirus after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second meeting with chief ministers via video conference on Saturday. The prime minister will also hold talks with all parties to get their views in the fight against coronavirus and on matters related to lockdown.
