Imphal, December 07 2008: PRICES OF the imported essential commodities in Imphal are still double or triple the prices of these items in Dimapur (Nagaland), nearest rail-fed from other parts of India to reach Manipur where these items are procured along the NH-39 even as two weeks had passed since the end of economic blockade on the highway.

The gulf of difference in the prices of the essential commodities between Imphal and Dimapur having a distance of around 225 km has been witnessed since long as militant outfits maintaining cease-fire and suspension of operation as well as others not included in the two categories of agreements continued to impose various kinds of illegal taxes apart from heavy taxes at the police and other check posts situated along the highway.

Though there has been slight reduction in the prices of the essential commodities which have hiked during the nearly 20 day long economic blockade on the NH-39, the life line of the people of Manipur, still the prices of the imported rice, onion and potato at the local markets are respectively Rs 20, Rs 18 and Rs 8 per kg.

The price of rice per kg which was increased to Rs 24 from Rs 17 (before economic blockade) has been reduced by Rs 4, but still the rate (Rs 20 per kg) is triple times the price that cost in Dimapur from where it is brought to Imphal.

Likewise, the price of onion which was rise to Rs.20 per kg has been reduced to Rs.18 in Imphal market but still there has a difference of Rs.7 compared to the market rate at Dimapur which is only Rs.11.Also the price of potato per kg has been reduced to Rs.10 from Rs.13 during the blockade time but still Rs.4 more than the price of the same item in Dimapur which is Rs.6 per kg per kg.

This correspondent learnt that the hiked prices of these essential commodities bring down slidely as locally produced started coming up in the Imphal markets which would be temporary one as there is no changes in the freight charges for the truckers and expenditures incurred at the time transporting the times to Imphal.

Heavy illegal taxes collected by outlaw outfits and different kinds of taxes imposed at check posts installed along the stretch of the highway from Imphal to Dimapur which main have been a long practices of both state and non-state agencies since long is continuing unabated even though majority of the militants imposing illegal taxes along the NH-39 entered into suspension of operation with the government.

Apart from confronting with the bad conditions of the highway, truckers plying along this route are negotiating these imposing heavy taxes through them in every trips as collectors (of these taxes) want more and truckers want to spend at the least to their best level so as to plea by the vehicle owners and goods owners.

Truckers said in every trip to Dimapur and back to Imphal, they have been negotiating with the police at the check post and members of different outfits to pay them the taxes at the minimum.

"We spend Rs.1500 per trip at the minimum during the journey from Dimapur to Imphal with goods," a driver who wanted to omit his name revealed while talking to this correspondent adding that the imposition of entry taxes at the Manipur portion (Mao to Imphal) is also increasing.

The truckers had to pay Rs.400 each to at least four police check posts located along the stretch from Dimapur to Khuzuma gate within Nagaland state and Rs.50 t0 150 to the three police check posts within Manipur from Mao to Imphal.

Apart from this, in the section within the Nagaland, the truckers pay Rs.100 each as sale tax, excise tax and traffic tax which are located nearby the police check posts.

Besides this, Rs.200 has to be paid to police reserved post at near Kohima.

Keeping all these illegally or openly collected taxes, truckers has to pay at the minimum of Rs 1500 as goods tax and Rs.250 as gate pass per trip to more than 20 militants outfits collecting taxes on the stretch of the highway.

Goods tax is being paid above the godown taxes and others which are not lees than Rs.15,000 per month to these outnumber militants groups annually through the truckers from the goods owners above the annual vehicle taxes impose to the owners of the truckers.

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