Counter bandh called in Assam to blunt ban on Manipur vehicles
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 27 2022:
Incensed over the imposition of indefinite bandh on Manipur vehicles in Nagaland part of National Highway 39 by Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), the All Assam Manipur Youth's Association (AAMYA) has declared an indefinite bandh on Assam-Nagaland highway from today's midnight.
SAPO imposed the indefinite bandh within southern Angami jurisdiction with effect from March 24 demanding removal of the police outpost from Dzuko valley in Senapati district.
A press release issued by AAMYA stated that the counter bandh will continue until SAPO withdraws their indefinite bandh on the Nagaland portion of NH-39 and asked the truck and transport associations to cooperate.
The strong step was taken up as SAPO has failed to respond to the humble appeal to withdraw the bandh which has caused physical and mental torture on a number of people, especially those bound for Imphal and has created a socio-economic crisis, the association reasoned.
Saying that the 'non intervention' of the Nagaland Government to resolve the crisis is very unfortunate, it asserted that AAMYA cannot remain a mere spectator when people are being harassed for no reason.
"Blocking the highway is a serious insult to humanity and so we have no intention to do the same," it clarified and maintained that they, however, called the counter bandh out of compulsion to remove the SAPO bandh and as a distress call to the Nagaland Government.
Students, ambulance, police, paramilitary forces, media and rituals are exempted from the purview of the counter bandh, it informed.
On the other hand, with no indication that the indefinite bandh on Manipur vehicles will be lifted anytime soon, a total of 338 empty oil tankers and LPG bullet tankers left Imphal for Assam on Imphal-Jiribam Highway (NH-37) with security escorts today to ferry petroleum products.
The convoy which left Imphal at 6 am included 125 oil takers of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), 16 oil tankers of BPCL and 97 LPG bullet tankers.
They would head to different loading points in Assam after reaching Jiribam.
The security personnel who are escorting the empty oil tankers and LPG bullet tanks would stay at Jiribam till tomorrow before escorting back loaded oil tankers and LPG bullet tankers which were earlier stranded at Khatkhatti on Tuesday.
Altogether 130 loaded oil tankers of IOCL, 15 loaded oil tankers of BPCL and HPCL and 76 loaded LPG bullet tankers were stranded at Khatkhatti.
The loaded tankers numbering 221 left Khatkhatti towards Jiribam yesterday.
They are expected to reach Jiribam tomorrow evening.