People rush to buy essential goods during curfew in Colombo City

By Yohan Perera   

Distribution of essential goods took place in the Colombo City yesterday despite the curfew in force  yesterday. The presence of people on the road was seen as another feature  during the curfew.   
The Daily Mirror team which was on a city tour was able to come across mobile vendors going on trucks and lorries selling vegetables and other essential items. However one seller said they were finding it hard to earn a profit compared to the expenditure incurred. “ We have to spend extra in addition to the purchasing cost as those who load the stuff to the vehicles also demand money,” one lady vendor engaged in selling essential goods in Peheliyagoda said.   

The Air Force was seen helping the Colombo Municipal Council to distribute essential food stuff. According to CMC officers present at distribution points at Hulftsdorf, essential packs of food items were provided to the people according to tokens that had been already given to them by the Municipal Councillors. An Air Force officer said they were called to assist the distribution in order to prevent arguments and  fisticuffs among the people who gathered to purchase goods.People were seen purchasing vegetables and provisions at Manning Market despite the ongoing curfew. However the market was closed after  few hours. Vegetables such as ladies fingers, beet root, tomatoes were sold at a cheap price of Rs 60 per kilo while other types were sold for fairly high prices. Accordingly, carrot was sold at Rs 160 a kilo, Brinjals at 120, Pumpkin  for Rs. 100 and long beans at Rs 120 
per kilogram.