Fuel scarcity
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 04 2017: Fuel scarcity may hit the State shortly in case the fuel transporters' cannot decide in the next couple of days whether to take Imphal-Dimapur highway or Imphal-Jiribam highway for transporting fuel .

After repeated attacks by militants at convoys of oil tankers near Changoubung along Imphal-Dimapur highway, June 25 being the latest, transporters have not been transporting fuel for the past nine days .

Following the June 25 attack, fuel transporters undertook cease work strike for 72 hours and they urged the Government to arrange adequate security escorts for transporting fuel along Imphal-Jiribam highway.

Responding to the transporters' demand, CAF&PD Deputy Secretary sent a written intimation to the IOC's Imphal office informing that the State Government has no objection to taking any route (Imphal-Dimapur highway or Imphal-Jiribam highway) by fuel transporters .

Subsequently, due process was initiated so that Silchar serves as loading point for fuel tankers coming from Manipur .

Later, all fuel transporters were informed to obtain indents from IOC's Malom depot for transporting fuel regardless of whether they prefer Imphal-Dimapur highway or Imphal-Jiribam highway.

But no fuel transporters came to collect indents.

Rather, they held a meeting at Malom depot yesterday .

Majority of oil tanker drivers who attended the meeting expressed strong reservation against designation of Silchar as loading point on the ground that transportation charge is not commensurate and the Silchar loading point cannot load more than around 10 tankers in a day .

However, the meeting could not take any concrete decision .

If oil tankers must take Imphal-Jiribam highway and the loading point is given elsewhere other than Silchar, it would take not less than 10 days in a single trip to and from Imphal .

On the other hand, if the oil tankers take Imphal-Dimapur highway, one round trip takes four/five days .

Given this indecisive situation, fuel shortage may hit the State, sources informed.

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