Petrol sold at Rs 130 a litre
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 23 2015 :
Petrol which is the heavy demand fuel in Manipur is available at Rs 130 a litre at the ubiquitous roadside vendors which are doing the illegal business under the nose of the authority without let or hindrance.
The oil pump owners say that as a result of the blockade by the contractual teachers and refusal by the transporters to lift diesel and petrol from Assam there is an acute shortage of fuel.
Some oil pumps are given fuel for sale on rotation basis.
The names of the firms are announced in the media in advance.
There are long serpentine queues near the oil pumps long before the opening of the pumps.
In Manipur all oil pumps, unlike in other states, are open from late morning to early evening.
All those in the queue do not get even the rationed quota.
The government always maintains that there is stock of fuel to last more than 20 days.
However it is not known why almost all oil pumps go dry simultaneously with the announcement of blockades, strikes and other forms of disruptions.
The source of fuel for the numerous roadside vendors is also not known.