With roofs blown away, many rush to hardware stores

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 6: Indicating the scale of devastation caused by the ferocious hailstorm in different parts of the State on Sunday, long queues could be seen from early morning till late evening in front of the hardware stores of Thangal Keithel and other markets which deal in tin or CGI sheets.
There was a traffic jam at Thangal Keithel because of the numerous vehicles which drove in right in front of the stores to load CGI sheets.
One Laishram Tomba who was standing in a long queue in front of a hardware store said that his roof was blown away by thunderstorm yesterday and the tin sheets are not in a condition to be reclaimed.
He said that his family spent last night in the local community hall.
CGI sheets of thickness 25 mm and more ran out of stock at most stores in the morning. As such, many customers who wished to purchase CGI sheets of such thickness had to buy CGI sheets of thickness 20 mm or thinner quite reluctantly as they must cover their roofs somehow.  
Talking to this reporter, SD Steel, Thangal Bazar proprietor Amit Agarwal said that a large number of people started thronging at his shop since early morning.
He said that they opened the shop at 6 am and started selling roofing materials, particularly tin and CGI sheets.
A bundle of GI sheets of length six feet has 12 pieces, seven feet has 10 pieces, eight feet has 9 pieces, nine feet has 8 pieces, 10 feet has seven pieces and 12 feet has six pieces.  
The normal price of a bundle of GI sheets of thickness 18 mm is Rs 3050, 20 mm is Rs 3150, 22 mm is Rs 3550, 25 mm is Rs 3750, 30 mm is Rs 4650 and 35 mm is Rs 5400.
This price list was also displayed at the store.
The GI sheets were sold at the normal prices and volunteers of MSF and City police personnel monitored the sale.
As there were too many customers jostling to buy GI sheets, shopkeepers and salesmen encountered severe difficulties.
Later,  the customers were made to stand in queues with the help of police and tokens were issued.  
The Officer-in-Charge of City police station instructed the hardware stores dealing in GI sheets to open their stores.
It is another thing if the stocks have run out. But closing the stores even when GI sheets are in stock is not permissible, the OC said.
“We made it clear that necessary action would be taken up if customers are denied GI sheets when the same items are in stock”, he said.
Even if GI sheets have run out of stock, the stores should sell other items but closing the stores cannot be allowed, the OC said.
He said that the shopkeepers were also instructed to sell the GI sheets at the normal prices.
The proprietor of Ashok Steel, Thangal Bazar, Dharamsala said that stocks of GI sheets of length 8 feet, 9 feet, 10 feet and 12 feet  have run out although those of length 6 feet and 7 feet are still available.
At Ashok Steel, each bundle of GI sheets of thickness 20 mm is sold at Rs 3000.
The proprietor said that he could not ship in enough stock of GI sheets on account of the violent crisis which has been besieging the State for the past one year.
Nonetheless, the proprietor said that he would try to ship in enough GI sheets to meet the sudden surge in demand.    Proprietor of another big store located at Thangal Keithel, Dharamsala said that he would sell CGI sheets at the normal prices till late evening or as long as the stocks do not run out.
A large number of people were also seen thronging LS Steel & Mart located at Sangakpham near Don Bosco School since early morning.
Because of the numerous vehicles brought by CGI customers, there was a traffic jam in the area.
“The demand for CGI sheets particularly those of length 10 feet and 12 feet is quite high but there is no question of hiking prices”, said LS Steel & Mart proprietor Ningthoujam Sunil. On the other hand,  shops of Paona Bazar saw brisk sale of tarpaulin.
Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister Heikham Dingo visited Tairenpokpi, Haorang Keirel, Haorang Khunou and Phayeng Ching Khunou and took stock of the damages caused by the hailstorm yesterday. Imphal West Deputy Commissioner accompanied the Minister during the visits.