Truckers stranded in Nagaland take NH-37 route
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 27 2022:
Manipur-bound trucks which were stranded on the Nagaland side of NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) road due to the indefinite bandh called along the highway by Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) have started moving towards Imphal through Imphal-Jiri Road.
As per sources, goods laden trucks and tankers carrying petroleum products which got stranded along NH-2 road on the Nagaland side have started moving towards Imphal through NH-37 (Imphal Jiribam road) from Sunday onwards while a large number of trucks, tankers and LPG bullet vehicles that left for Jiribam already crossed Noney at about 8.30am with security escort.
Apart from these vehicles, passenger buses from Imphal bound for Assam, Meghalaya and other states of the region have started resuming service through the Imphal-Jiribam route.
In view of the increasing number of vehicles plying along the NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam road), appeal has been made to the government to develop NH-37 in time for the convenience of passengers and transporters.
Consequent to the indefinite bandh petroleum product carriers and and LPG bullet tankers opted to take the Imphal-Jiribam Road (NH-37).A large numbers of empty oil tankers and LPG bullet trucks crossed Longmai Bazar, Noney district on Sunday morning.
The Inter-State buses and goods carriers bound for Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya and other states have also started to ply along the same route (NH-37).Mention may be made here that SAPO imposed an indefinite bandh along the NH-2 on the Nagaland side demanding removal of Manipur police outpost opened along Manipur-Nagaland border while alleging that the outpost was constructed within Nagaland territory.
The bandh called by SAPO from March 21 forced many trucks and passenger vehicles bound for Imphal to get stranded at various places of Nagaland.
Despite the government of Manipur writing to the Nagaland government to immediately withdraw the bandh along the border, SAPO affirmed that it would continue the indefinite bandh along NH-29 till forces from its traditional land are withdrawn.
Some days back, SAPO president Metekhrielie Mejura said the matter is not an affair of the Nagaland government and as such the decision to call off the indefinite bandh will depend on the Manipur government.
When armed forces are withdrawn from Kezoltsa, the disputed area, he said that SAPO will lift the bandh.
The bandh call was made by SAPO with regard to the non-withdrawal of the Manipur government's armed personnel at Kezoltsa, and the continued undertaking of developmental activities by the Manipur government.
Mejura said that the matter is purely a traditional issue and the disputed area is a political boundary drawn since the British era.
'So we will stand to our traditional and cultural rights and values and will uphold this in all the coming generations,' he had said.
SAPO also said that it still upholds and abide by the collective undertaking amongst the Tenyimi Public Organization (TPO), Board of Arbitrators, Mao Council, Maram Khullen and SAPO and will continue to enforce the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister of Manipur on November 20, 2021 to withdraw and cease all developmental activities within its traditional land.
As per the memorandum, the TPO sought the removal of Manipur police from Kezoltsa/Kozuru/Kazing and demanded compensation for demolishing the rest house by the Manipur police.
"The statement on 25th March 2022 by the Manipur Government mentioning political boundaries is totally unacceptable and the claims made are provocative and threatens the peaceful coexistence within the communities as our traditional land and boundaries are well defined and the people have been coexisting since time immemorial," SAPO added.