Manipur staring at imminent ‘man-made’ scarcity of essential commodities ?
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 2: A single convoy of security forces escorting only 150 vehicles a day has left hundreds of loaded trucks and tankers stranded along National Highway-37 in Jiribam and neighbouring Assam for days.
With no steps being taken up by the State Government to increase the number of security escorts and repair damaged stretches of the highway, more transport vehicles are expected to be stranded and subsequently cause a man-made shortage of essential goods in Manipur.
Many of the loaded trucks have been stranded for weeks in Jiribam and neighbouring regions of Assam, said sources.
Speaking to this paper, Drivers' Union general secretary Maimom Anil said a major factor hindering transport is the deteriorating condition of the NH-37 at several stretches.
There used to be two or more convoys available a day to escort the vehicles. Now there is only a convoy available a day which can escort only 150 vehicles, he said.
The increase in travel time due to the road condition is one of the reasons that has reduced the number of convoys, he added
A convoy of security forces escorting empty trucks and tankers from Imphal to Jiribam is supposed to return the next day escorting 150 loaded trucks and tankers. However, such a convoy from Imphal is now unable to reach Jiribam on time due to the road condition, Anil said.
The current situation may not change unless damaged sections of the road are repaired and the number of security convoys is increased. Unless these two problems are resolved, more vehicles are expected to be left stranded at Jiribam and neighbouring Assam, and Manipur may face man-made shortage of essential goods in the coming days, Anil stressed.
Today, a single security convoy escorting 150 vehicles has left Jiribam for Imphal. There will also be only one convoy available tomorrow, he added.
The 150 vehicles which are yet to reach Imphal include 70 tankers carrying fuel and 80 goods trucks.
IMPHAL, Jul 2: A single convoy of security forces escorting only 150 vehicles a day has left hundreds of loaded trucks and tankers stranded along National Highway-37 in Jiribam and neighbouring Assam for days.
With no steps being taken up by the State Government to increase the number of security escorts and repair damaged stretches of the highway, more transport vehicles are expected to be stranded and subsequently cause a man-made shortage of essential goods in Manipur.
Many of the loaded trucks have been stranded for weeks in Jiribam and neighbouring regions of Assam, said sources.
Speaking to this paper, Drivers' Union general secretary Maimom Anil said a major factor hindering transport is the deteriorating condition of the NH-37 at several stretches.
There used to be two or more convoys available a day to escort the vehicles. Now there is only a convoy available a day which can escort only 150 vehicles, he said.
The increase in travel time due to the road condition is one of the reasons that has reduced the number of convoys, he added
A convoy of security forces escorting empty trucks and tankers from Imphal to Jiribam is supposed to return the next day escorting 150 loaded trucks and tankers. However, such a convoy from Imphal is now unable to reach Jiribam on time due to the road condition, Anil said.
The current situation may not change unless damaged sections of the road are repaired and the number of security convoys is increased. Unless these two problems are resolved, more vehicles are expected to be left stranded at Jiribam and neighbouring Assam, and Manipur may face man-made shortage of essential goods in the coming days, Anil stressed.
Today, a single security convoy escorting 150 vehicles has left Jiribam for Imphal. There will also be only one convoy available tomorrow, he added.
The 150 vehicles which are yet to reach Imphal include 70 tankers carrying fuel and 80 goods trucks.