Imphal, May 12 2010: Following the imposition of the indefinite blockade on the two National Highways since April 12, rice and sugar stocks at Sangaiprou FCI godown have completely run out.

Petrol and diesel stocks will also run dry in the next five days.

Except for 1459 metric tonnes of wheat, there is not a single grain of rice or sugar at the godown at present, informed an official from the FCI, Imphal office.

There are 3487 metric tonnes and 410 metric tonnes of rice at Ukhrul and Jiribam FCI godowns respectively but there is no stock of wheat at these godowns.

On the other, even as arrangements were made to send vehicles today on NH-53 to ferry petroleum products and other essential commodities from Silchar, the plan has been kept on hold as the Home Department has not been able to provide security escorts.

It is reported that vehicles may be sent to Silchar on NH-53 with security escorts on May 14 .

Petrol and diesel left at the IOC depot at Imphal will not last longer than five days, informed the source further.

Nevertheless, release order has been already issued to ferry 3151 quintals of rice and 2800 quintals of sugar from FCI godown located at Ramnagar, Silchar.

Meanwhile, DGP Y Joykumar held a meeting with inter-State bus service operators and representatives of transport agencies engaged in transportation of goods to Manipur from outside the State.

The meeting discussed about bringing in petroleum products and other essential commodities to Manipur at the earliest.

On being apprised by DGP Y Joykumar about the intimation by his Nagaland counterpart that the Nagaland Government would not be able to provide security escorts to Manipur bound vehicles for sometime, the transport agencies agreed to travel along NH 53 .

The transport agencies said that arrangements have been made to send more than 600 vehicles to Silchar on May 14.Oil tankers and other goods laden trucks stranded at Khatkhati would arrive at Jiribam by tomorrow night, they said.

But transport contractors engaged to ferry rice from Dimapur to Imphal along NH 39 have not been given permission by the FCI to ferry rice from Silchar along NH 53 even as the entire population of Manipur has been reeling under shortage of food items, added the official source.

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