Extortion on highway crosses Rs 7000 per trip
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 15: Extortion or illegal taxes collected from POL and LPG tankers moving on Imphal-Jiribam highway has crossed Rs 7000 per round trip.
Highlighting the rampant extortion on the highway, All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association, HPCL Dealers Association Manipur, All Manipur Petroleum Product Drivers Association, All Manipur Bharat Petroleum Dealers Cum Transporters Association, Nayara Energy Dealers Association, All Manipur Petroleum Products Drivers’ Association (LPG Bulk) and All Manipur Bulk LPG Transporters Association have submitted a joint memorandum to the Chief Minister today.
Since May 2023, POL and LPG tankers have been shipping in petroleum products along NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam highway) with CRPF escorts.
Every trip escorted by CRPF comprises 100 trucks or more.
As the tank trucks are many, looters have been collecting illegal taxes from tank trucks for every trip even though they are escorted by CRPF convoys.
Initially, it was only Rs 200 but nowadays, the illegal tax has reached above Rs 7000 per tank truck per trip, said the memorandum.
According to the memorandum, Rs 500 is extorted from each tank truck travelling from Imphal to Jiribam at Awangkhul.
But on the way back from Jiribam to Imphal, illegal taxes ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5000 are collected at five different places.
For every trip from Jiribam to Imphal, each tank truck is extorted Rs 3500 at Kambiron, Rs 500 at Nungba, Rs 1200 at Jiribam Parking, Rs 500 at Noney and Rs 500 to Rs 5000 at Oinamlong, said the memorandum.
“As our transportation bills are fixed based on the tender floated by oil marketing companies, such unforeseen expenses are not accounted for and it is entirely borne by the transporters”, read the memorandum.
The POL and LPG transporters and dealers’ organisations expressed deep apprehension that the illegal taxes may be hiked and the parties collecting illegal taxes at different spots may also rise.
The associations appealed to the Chief Minister to see that these expenses are borne either by oil marketing companies or by the Government of Manipur.
They also appealed to the Chief Minister to take up necessary steps and eliminate such extortion/looting by July 30, 2026.
The associations added that they will be compelled to suspend operations from July 31 onwards if their appeals go unheeded.
IMPHAL, Jul 15: Extortion or illegal taxes collected from POL and LPG tankers moving on Imphal-Jiribam highway has crossed Rs 7000 per round trip.
Highlighting the rampant extortion on the highway, All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association, HPCL Dealers Association Manipur, All Manipur Petroleum Product Drivers Association, All Manipur Bharat Petroleum Dealers Cum Transporters Association, Nayara Energy Dealers Association, All Manipur Petroleum Products Drivers’ Association (LPG Bulk) and All Manipur Bulk LPG Transporters Association have submitted a joint memorandum to the Chief Minister today.
Since May 2023, POL and LPG tankers have been shipping in petroleum products along NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam highway) with CRPF escorts.
Every trip escorted by CRPF comprises 100 trucks or more.
As the tank trucks are many, looters have been collecting illegal taxes from tank trucks for every trip even though they are escorted by CRPF convoys.
Initially, it was only Rs 200 but nowadays, the illegal tax has reached above Rs 7000 per tank truck per trip, said the memorandum.
According to the memorandum, Rs 500 is extorted from each tank truck travelling from Imphal to Jiribam at Awangkhul.
But on the way back from Jiribam to Imphal, illegal taxes ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5000 are collected at five different places.
For every trip from Jiribam to Imphal, each tank truck is extorted Rs 3500 at Kambiron, Rs 500 at Nungba, Rs 1200 at Jiribam Parking, Rs 500 at Noney and Rs 500 to Rs 5000 at Oinamlong, said the memorandum.
“As our transportation bills are fixed based on the tender floated by oil marketing companies, such unforeseen expenses are not accounted for and it is entirely borne by the transporters”, read the memorandum.
The POL and LPG transporters and dealers’ organisations expressed deep apprehension that the illegal taxes may be hiked and the parties collecting illegal taxes at different spots may also rise.
The associations appealed to the Chief Minister to see that these expenses are borne either by oil marketing companies or by the Government of Manipur.
They also appealed to the Chief Minister to take up necessary steps and eliminate such extortion/looting by July 30, 2026.
The associations added that they will be compelled to suspend operations from July 31 onwards if their appeals go unheeded.