Imphal, July 05 2010: Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAF&PD), Y Erabot has said that the Department of CAF&PD is taking steps to requisition 100 trucks to transport rice and other essential commodities.

The Minister said, file for requisition of 100 trucks has been moved, and it is expected to reach the Transport Department tomorrow.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Minister Erabot expressed unhappiness that the trucks which are supposed to transport rice are being used in transporting cement.

Since cement is sold at higher price, people concerned are making huge profit out of cement, and are interested only in transporting cement instead of rice and other essential commodities, the Minister said.

He said, more than 700 goods-laden trucks have returned to Imphal during the past few days.

However, not a single truck among them had brought rice nor sugar.

Most of the trucks had brought cement.

This condition has made it necessary for the Department to requisition trucks to transport rice.

Minister Erabot further said that different types of vehicles have left Imphal today to bring goods.

The vehicles would return to Imphal on July 7 .

Among those vehicles, not less than 19 trucks would transport rice, sugar and wheat.

About 40 oil tankers and gas bullet tankers would also arrive in Imphal on this day.

The Minister said that the problem of scarcity of LPG and petroleum products would remain for some more time.

This situation has been created by the officials of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Chingmeirong.

Transporting petroleum products is not the responsibility of the Government of Manipur.

It is the sole responsibility of IOC.

However, it is the people who are bearing the brunt, Minister Erabot lamented.

He said, the petroleum products had been released through the back door.

That's why petrol and diesel are available in black in plenty while there is no stock.

Citing example, he said, he and the police found and rounded up two oil tankers from Churachandpur after searching for two days.

Following the incident, Manager of the oil depot at Chingmeirong had been transferred by the IOC on June 28.In his place, Manager of Gas Bottling Plant, Sekmai, Biren has been posted, the Minister said.

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