Manipur is reeling under acute scarcity of essential goods since its two lifeline highways remained cut off for over 15 days. While the Nagaland-Manipur highway was snapped off following a massive landslide induced sinking surface at Dimapur, a weak bailey bridge over the river Barak affected heavy vehicular traffic on the Silchar-Manipur highway, another lifeline cutting-off all supply route.
With Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) declaring that its petrol stock has reduced to 425 KLC for emergency purpose, the fuel has also become scarce. So much so that the price of a litre ranges between Rs 200 to 300 in the black market as compared to normal price of Rs 59. The diesel stock is also on the brink of running out.
Following a Government order, the fuel stations are rationing its allotted stock to people who queue up for long hours just to get a few litres, usually 3.5 litres of petrol for two wheelers and 8 litres for four wheelers.
Under normal condition, we get 20,000 litres of petrol and 40,000 litres of diesel from IOC. But since the landslide problem started, the IOC started rationing the stock and heavily cutting down our allotment thus compelling us to also resort to rationing. We still have some diesel stock, but this will also run out if normal supply is not resorted soon.
— Shiv Dhahal, manager of Imphal’s petrol pump.
Normal public suffer the most in these situations. Some like Premananda Singh have to walk for more than two hours to reach his office.
Border Road Task Force (BRTF) sources said that the Nagaland-Manipur highway will be opened to heavy vehicles very soon. Meanwhile, efforts to refill the oil tankers were halted by the ongoing general strike against the passing of three controversial bills.
(Writer is a freelance journalist and a documentary filmmaker based in Manipur)