Panaji runs out of 10-litre, 20-litre bottled products

Panaji: The capital city ran out of 5 litre, 10 litre and 20 litre packaged drinking water on Sunday as people rushed to grab all the bottles available. Most stores ran out of stock on Saturday itself and said supplies would resume only by Monday afternoon.
Most stores only had one litre bottles left behind for sale when TOI went to check. “We don’t even have 2 litre water bottles left.In fact, we ordered 60 bottles of 20 litres and 40 bottles of 5 litres on Saturday, but now we’re sold out,” a storekeeper at a leading supermarket chain in the city said.
The scene at stores over the weekend was one of people queueing up to grab bottles no sooner stocks arrived. “Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink,” Miramar resident Oscar Noronha remarked, adding, “There was too much of a rush and not enough stock in Panaji, so I picked up 5 litre packaged water from Mapusa,” he told TOI.
Considering the high demand and panic buying, storekeepers while turning customers away on Sunday, assured them of supply only on Monday afternoon, advising them to book their packaged water by paying an advance deposit of Rs 150. “I managed to get a 20 litre bottle on Saturday. The shopkeeper asked me whether I was sure I wanted only one. I saw people buying multiple bottles and stocking up. I wish I had done the same. I don’t know how I will manage on Monday,” a Ribandar resident said, not willing to take the risk to boil tanker water for drinking.