Imphal:
As Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and other political parties put the Centre on the mat for the latest hike in petrol prices, a different story is playing out in Manipur. Forget trying to cope with the hike, the state is struggling for the fuel after a highway blockade, with reports of petrol selling for Rs 180-240 per litre in the black market compared to Rs 68.64 per litre at fuel outlets in Delhi.
Left high and dry after the blockade by agitating Nagas, Manipur is now banking on a temporary road route through Assam to get fuel supplies in. The first lot of 100 trucks carrying petrol and diesel had started moving towards state capital Imphal, the government said today.
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The region depends on supplies transported by road for its essential needs and has been cut off for 99 days now, with the two national highways - the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati (NH-39) and the Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar (NH-53) - blocked by protestors of various political affiliations. Supplies of fuel are down just to a one-day backup and prices of commodities are sky high.
However, the government says some respite is on the way. An alternative route has been worked out for the supplies to come in.
"Around 100 trucks, including 32 trucks of petrol and 42 trucks of diesel have started moving towards Imphal from 5 am today. The Assam government has allowed a temporary bypass arrangement," said N Biren Singh, spokesperson for the state government of Manipur. "When the trucks reach Imphal, there will be improvement, I think. The trucks will be reaching Imphal by today late evening or early morning", he said.
On the blockade, Mr Singh said that the state government was trying hard to negotiate with the agitators and was confident that a solution would come out soon. "We are confident on the talks and negotiations. We are trying hard," said Mr Singh.
The economic blockade on Manipur's main national highway over the last three months has left essential commodities and services in the state severely affected.
The state, which has been reeling under a crisis for over three months ensuing from the economic blockades on the two national highways,got some relief last week 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 with the state government.
But the Nagas were not happy with the decision and, led by the United Naga Council (UNC), the tribe decided to intensify their counter-blockade on the two highways.