Imphal, May 19 2010: With the green signal of complete domination of strategic points, authority of the government of Manipur today started sending goods ferry vehicles on the NH-53 under heavy security coverage.

Over 160 empty trucks left Imphal today on the NH-53 to procured essential commodities from Silchar in the continue efforts to replenish exhausted stocks of the essential commodities in Manipur owing to the month long economic blockade imposed by ANSAM, an official of the state home department said.

As many as 160 vehicles including empty trucks, oil tankers and inter-state passenger buses have left Imphal for Silchar with security escorts provided by the personnel of the 4th IRB this morning.

Central paramilitary forces, CRPF and BSF guard the stretch by conducting ROP and IRB personnel are conducting mobile escorts to the vehicles leaving Imphal today at about 9 am.

They are likely to reach Jiribam for onward journey to Silchar this late evening.

No untoward incident reported till the vehicles crossing the Barak Bridge located between Oinamlong and Kambilong at 3 pm.

A total of 113 vehicles including 99 trucks, seven Bullet tankers, two oil tankers and five passengers have crossed the bridge without any untoward incident on the way, police report said.

Imphal bound loaded trucks, stranded at Silchar after they reached there from Khatkati of Assam bordering with Dimapur of Nagaland since the announcement of the ban on Manipur trucks passing through Nagaland, will be escorted back by the security after a night halt at Jiribam, officials disclosed.

Manipur government, mention may be made, had taken decision to send vehicles with security escort for three times but the same was not translated in works citing bad road, weak bridge condition couple with security reason.

Security forces have dominated the entire stretch of the highway with additional deployment of two companies of BSF and state security forces at various strategic points on the stretch.

The SP, Tamenglong district, who is the overall security in-charge for area domination, is personally looking after the ROP on the stretch, official source said.

On the other, a total of 20 MT of rice and life saving drugs reached Imphal by air cargo on the third day of airlifting essential commodities in the state.

The traffic volume on the Imphal-Churachandpur-Aizawl section of the NH-150 is also increasing day by day.

Distribution of rice item airlifted rice to the cardholders of the BPL and AAY is also continuing in several parts of the state.

Seven metric tones of rice airlifted have been distributed to the cardholders of Imphal east and west.

A total of 20 MT of rice airlifted by the air cargo today has also started distributing in other districts like the Thoubal and Bishnupur.

Government is also planning to distribute the PDS items to hill districts also in the coming days.

The stocks of the life saving drugs have been remarkably increased with the reaching of these items everyday in the last three days from Guwahati by air cargo.

Priority is being given to the airlifting of the life saving considering the fast depleting stocks of the item in the state.

The Manipur Chemists and Druggists Association (MCDA) expressed thanks to the authority of the state health and family welfare department for giving priority in the procurement of life saving drugs in the air cargo.

A statement of the association signed by its general secretary, Dr RK Ratankumar also appealed to allow ferry of vehicles carrying life saving drugs on the highways to the blockade callers considering the need of patients of every section of the society.

Illness is not for certain section or community of the society, any persons irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex, communities can fallen sick and met fatal accident which would not need medicines for saving their live.

This should be understood by the blockade supporters, MCDA reminded.