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Imphal: Barely a day after an unprecedented heavy hailstorm caused widespread destruction of roofs, people queued up at hardware stores to buy metal roofing sheets.
Manipur witnessed widespread devastation as a powerful storm and fierce hailstorm accompanied by heavy rain caused widespread destruction, leaving the roofs of dwelling houses and other structures with perforated roofs, needing immediate replacement.
With the affected people rushing, besides having a brisk business, the hardware shops dealing with tin sheets across Imphal and its outskirts faced stock exhaustion.
Similar situations were witnessed in almost all the markets across the regions affected by the natural disaster.
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The scenes at the hardware stores where the staff have to deal with the customers even by issuing tokens so that they could deal with them on a first come first serve basis.
The system made it easier for staff to deal with customers. However, the customers were apprehensive of stock exhaustion before their turn as they would need the roofing sheet urgently.
The scenes at the hardware stores have also drawn the attention of many organisations if the dealers hike the prices of roofing materials to take advantage of the sudden rise in demand.
Members of some organisations visited and checked the store for both price hikes and stock positions. They also appealed to dealers not to take advantage of the prevailing grim situation.
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In the meantime, the Manipur government has authorized the deputy commissioners of each district to monitor the prices of roofing materials including CGI sheets to ensure availability at reasonable rates.
Following the order of the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAF&PD), the deputy commissioner of Imphal West district today issued a set of regulations which came into effect with immediate effect for a week.
In the order, the DC said that the steps were being taken up considering the urgent need for proper rationalization of all the available roofing materials in the district and also ensuring that it reaches all the genuinely affected family members.
As per the regulations, all wholesalers, retailers and shops by any nomenclature shall remain open on all days including holidays and Sundays.
The stock position, brand, thickness and prices shall be affixed outside their shop/establishment for general awareness. A copy of the same shall have to be made available to DC, Imphal West through DSO, CAF and PD.
The rates of April 30, 2024 (or lower rates, wherever possible) shall be used as the market rate/price of the material.
No bulk purchase/buying, including by private parties, shall be allowed in any of the centres/shops/establishments.
All sales shall be only for hailstorm-affected families and details of the sales are to be indicated in the records of the establishment.
The order further stated that the district supply officer of the CAF & PD and representative of district SP shall monitor the entire operation of the shop/establishment in the district.
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