Imphal:
A day after the Centre arrived at an agreement with the Kuki tribe in Manipur over the creation of a separate district, thus resulting in the partial lifting of the economic blockade after 93 days, the government today exhorted the Nagas to also call off the blockade.
The state, which has been reeling under a crisis for over three months ensuing from the economic blockades on two national highways - Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati (NH-39) and Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar (NH-53) - got a major relief as the Kukis demand for conversion of the Sadar Hills area near Imphal into a full-fledged revenue district was met with. The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) - spearheading the movement for the separate district Kuki-dominated district - signed a deal around midnight with Imphal with the state government.
But the Nagas aren't happy with the decision. Led by the United Naga Council (UNC), the tribe has decided to intensify their counter-blockade on the two highways on the Manipur side. The UNC, in fact, has called for a three-day bandh from midnight tomorrow to protest against the government's assurance of turning the Sadar Hills area into a separate district.
An UNC spokesman said the bandh would be supported by the All Naga Students Association Manipur. He said that the ongoing economic blockade on the Manipur parts of the NH 39 and NH 53 which the group had launched on August 21 would also continue.
The two highways serve as the lifeline to Manipur as supplies of all essential items are brought to the state from adjoining Assam and other parts of India.
Mr Chidambaram held talks with the Nagas today and assured them that their interests would be taken care of. Speaking to the media later, he said that more development was possible in the state if there was peace. He also said that most of the money was being spent on the Army in the state.
Even as efforts are on to defuse the crisis, the economic blockade over the last three months has badly hit the common man. Medical services in the state, especially, have become a major casualty.
Doctors at Imphal's largest critical care hospital are worried. Oxygen supplies there are down to a bare minimum and the emergency stock of anaesthesia too is down to last just for a day.
"Two times since the blockade started, we have had to announce publicly that we will not be able to take any more ICU patients as our oxygen and other gas stocks are not enough", Dr Sorokhaibam Jugindra, the Medical Superintendent of Shija Hospitals said.
The situation in hospitals in other parts of the state is no different with medical stocks depleting fast. Chemists too have run out of stocks of life-saving drugs including for basic illnesses like diarrhoea and blood pressure. "We are facing a lot of trouble. Earlier our shop used to full of medicines but now you see, it's all empty...At this rate we will have to shut shop soon", Padam Singh Kangjam, a chemist, said.