Women protest delay in highway work
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 15 2011:
Putting up ten different demands including early completion of the development works of highways leading to Manipur, women vendors of Lamlong Keithel staged a protest demonstration today.
The protest was staged under the aegis of the Protection and Preservation Committee, Manipur as part of its campaign launched since November 8 against the abnormal escalation in the prices of essential commodities and shortage of these goods.
The demands raised through the protest demonstration included, "Don't make the people suffer longer because of the Government's weak political will", "Make all highways blockade-proof", "Ensure adequate availability of all essential goods", "Devise effective price control mechanism", "Destroy all black-market cartels", "Re-activate all fair price shops", "Open routes to Myanmar for shipping in essential commodities", "Make Imphal-Moreh route disturbance free", "Complete development works of all highways leading to Manipur" and "Set up ethnic economic development councils immediately" .
Even as the SHDDC has lifted its economic blockade after more than 90 days, nothing has been changed on the ground and people's misery has not been mitigated a bit, as the UNC's economic blockade is still in force.
One protester said that they have been using charcoal and firewood for cooking food as LPG is no longer available at normal price since many months back.
For a square meal a day, Rs 70 is being spent everyday on charcoal only, Mema said.
Kerosene too costs Rs 70 per litre.
As such, it has become very hard to live.
Yet, the Government has little empathy for the suffering mass, she said.
She also questioned how long should they endure the present
nightmarish situation.