Manipur blockade: Centre to dispatch 100 trucks containing petroleum products today

Asserting that the Centre will ensure a steady supply of basic amenities to the locals being affected by the prolonged blockade in Manipur, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on 24 January stated that the 100 trucks containing a variety of petroleum products will be dispatched to the state.

Speaking to ANI, Pradhan said that in the past two days the Centre, through Army C17 aircrafts, has sent several trucks of petroleum products from Guwahati to Imphal.

"And today around 100 trucks of different petroleum products will be dispatched, so that the locals will not be inconvenienced. The Government has taken this step to ensure that there is no shortage of basic amenities," he added.

Earlier, the Centre dispatched 35 tonne of petroleum products to Manipur to tackle the blockade crisis which has crippled normal life in the state.

The development came Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired an inter-ministerial meeting and reviewed the stock of food grains and petroleum products in Manipur and how to replenish the supply.

Rajnath expressed grave concern over the continued blockade of National Highway-2 causing severe difficulties to the people of Manipur especially with regard to availability of essential commodities.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been making repeated efforts to find a way to have the NH-2 opened.

Since 1 November, the United Naga Council has imposed the economic blockade on NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) that serve as crucial roads to the landlocked Manipur.

What makes the situation tougher is that prices of all commodities have skyrocketed, while petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders are reportedly being sold at high prices in black markets.

-ANI