The bandh called by the YSR Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanding special status to Andhra Pradesh, cast a shadow on the arrivals of onion to city markets on Saturday.
Hundreds of consumers were forced to return empty handed after stocks from Kurnool Market Yard failed to arrive at Rythu Bazaars here.
Keeping in view the demand, the district administration had made arrangements distribute the commodity by Saturday morning.
However, lorries were stopped on the highway connecting Prakasam and Guntur districts.
“We got information that a truck load of onion is coming to Swaraj Maidan Rythu Bazaar in the morning but it did not turn up till noon due to the bandh,” said Estate Officer M. Srinivasa Sastri.
Customers furious
Inquires relating to arrival of stocks poured in at the 17 Rythu Bazaars since morning and a few customers expressed anger at the staff for failing to make prior arrangements.
Senior officials intervened and pacified the buyers stating that the commodity would arrive by afternoon. Boards requesting people to bring ration cards to purchase onion at subsidised rates were displayed at the counters.
Marketing Department Assistant Joint Director P. Satyanarayana Chowdhary said, “We received instructions from the higher ups to maintain 600 metric tonnes of stocks at the Kurnool Market Yard every day to meet the demand and the same is being followed for the last three days.”
Protesters stop lorries on the highway connecting Prakasam and Guntur districts
