UNC, Please don't stop the Blockade Now

Gurumayum Bidyasagar Sharma *

Flow of traffic during economic blockade by UNC

Well let me get this straight. UNC council and your people are all right. Yes you heard it right they are right in their own perspective. So are the valley people. We are all right in our own perspective. What is right and what is wrong certainly depends on where you are standing. Okay, so much for the side track.

Is this the first time we have had economic blockade? We didn't all vanished in thin air because we cannot bear the so called Economic Blockade. This isn't the worst we had either. We have had longer economic blockade.

What had we hope for when this one started? We had hoped that this will be over just in time for Christmas. It certainly didn't go down well. It still is continuing.

So why am I telling this already known facts? Because I want to come and talk about what have been the impact of this so called economic blockade in the long run. In fact this has done nothing (except for the loss of certain amount which totals to about some crore daily).

The UNC had started this economic blockade on the note that the government was going to create new districts, which the government eventually did by creating 7 new districts. It seems this has further angered the UNC and the economic blockade has been continuing since 31st Oct. And also the arrest of two UNC leader has been fuelling the already tense situation.

And very recently the talk for bringing an end to this ongoing economic blockade had taken place at the capital. Whose result has not been that satisfactory. And then there is this rumour that the UNC has agreed to call off the Economic Blockade on the ground that the Government will reduced the number of newly created districts to 5. Dang! This is where I want to urge the government not to mow down the new district. Why not for once in our lifetime give the UNC what they want fully? Why don't we co-operate with them this once? And why not support the UNC's latest economic blockade?

So I say let the UNC continue their Economic blockade for as long as they want. Let's find out once for all how long they want and will continue this effort of theirs. Let's give them the reason to cherish their hard earned result of a 300-400 days economic blockade when the already strained relationship between the hill and valley people is cut beyond the point of no coming back.

As for the impact of this economic blockade I can assure you this, we have been fine for the last 3 months we can hang on for another year. Petrol was 250-300 INR a litre in December, now it is just 110. Potato was unavailable earlier. Now there is no shortage of Potato/Onion/garlic and etcetera etcetera that too at a very affordable and reasonable price.

I had recently travel along the Imphal-Jiribam route and met the caravan of trucks ferrying daily utilities with escort provided by Manipur Police/Manipur Rifles/CRPF/VDF/IRB and others. And certainly they are doing a great job as none of the trucks were burnt or destroyed by any perpetrators. Or perhaps the UNC volunteer has gone for a good sleep which they deserved.

Talking about this highway, I want to congratulate the government for what they have made of this highway. Most part of the highway is in good shape (hold your criticism right there and read further). The area which were worst are now better. I can take a nap. Seriously, I never was able to do that 5years ago. The last time I travel was 3 years ago and now this is good improvement. Oh well this has taken much more time than what it actually would have but hey we are in Manipur, right? Nothing happens in time buddy nothing.

Flow of traffic during economic blockade by UNC

But now don't get carried away with what you have just read. I haven't given you all the facts. Here comes the bad part. The stretch of about 15kms with Makru Bridge is what is going to be the Achilles heel of Manipur. It was all worn out. It was just like how it was used by the British during the WW2. Pile of dust everywhere. There was this guy working on his excavator to remove the foot thick dust from the road. It piles up to form a small hillock (I would have taken a picture had it not been for the endless dust rising and creeping in our Tata Sumo).

When I last travel this very road the worst part was all around the three vital bridge and the area around the place locally known as "Nung Dolan". But it is pretty much need now except for the final approach to Jiribam. The last stretch has worsen since the last time I saw it.

I had travel in every season just to see how it feels to travel in the worst weather and the finest, met landslides, mudslides and vehicle stuck in the mud. Walking and working together with the other travel mates to free the vehicle, I have seen some of the worst this highway has to offer (luckily enough I have never spend a night along this highway).

However, I can't imagine what this stretch of road around the Makru Bridge is going to be during the monsoon which is not far. Forget about ferrying goods along this stretch even passenger carrying vehicle will think twice before doing that.

So the Government can do whatever it takes and start working on this short stretch (other parts also need repairing but that is a minor issue when compare to this one) before the monsoon. If the government fails to look after this the UNC will have the upper hand when the monsoon comes. They will throw everything they can and a full fledge siege like situation will be what the valley people will experience.

Sometime people are face with certain dilemma which is a "Damn if you Do and Damn if you Don't" scenario. This is just like one of those.

On one hand I want the UNC to learn their lesson that we might suffer a bit but they also will suffer during this long economic blockade. Not because we will start hating you or hurting you, but because you will have no time to sow or reap your yearly crops or earn enough to feed. You will have a hard time feeding your volunteer. So continue for a year of two and let's find out for sure who can win this staring contest.

And on the other hand this stretch of road is going to suffocate us. We know for sure the government will be unable to (read as won't) to work out this stretch in time for the monsoon and this will be the main problem for us. UNC or no UNC no truck or vehicle will ply on this highway with nature playing havoc on that special stretch.

And what was with the Central Govt. sending the heavy lifter for what? One trip for the newspaper and kaboom. Gone!

Don't play that kind of dirty tricks with us this is no time for joke. To all the genius seating at New Delhi stop playing politics at this crucial hour when the election is like 20days away and start behaving like a grown up. For god sakes we don't care if your demonetization was a success or not. It was right or wrong.

What we need right now is some potato chips. Damn it, it has been days since I had eaten chips and what are we going to give to our "Leishabis" during Yaosang Thabal if not for the air filled packet of Uncle Chips?