Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 07 2010:
All Manipur Anti-Drug Association (AMDA) started launching its campaign for survival with a sit-in protest cum public meeting at Nagamapal Kangchabi Leirak.
During the protest, the association demanded revival of price fixation committee of the state government and making of NH-53 as primary lifeline of the people of the state.
Among others, president of AMDA head office, M Padmini, member of the Consumers Redressal Forum Thoubal and Chandel, L Rameshwor, general secretary of Transporters' and Drivers' Council, Ng Haridas, general secretary of Consumers' Club, Manipur, Ch Narendra president of Khwai Ema Keithel Lup, Ph Liklaileima etc.
talked in the meeting.
The meeting while noting down businessmen hiking prices of the goods taking advantage of the problems on the national highways resolved to press the state government to revived the price fixation committee and look into the rising prices of goods.
They also decided to draw government attention in making the NH-53 as primary lifeline of the state by improving the conditions of the highways and deploying adequate security force on the stretch with permanent security posts at strategic points so as to allow safe passage of vehicles and passenger buses.
Speaking at the meeting, general secretary of TDC, Ng Harida alleged that the ANSAM sponsored economic blockade on the national highways was lifted under the influence of the NSCN (IM) as it has hurt in the revenue collection of the outfit.
The outfit is collecting a huge amount of money from the NH-39 by imposing various forms of illegal taxes.
The blockade greatly hurt in the extortion activities of the outfit so that it affected to the financial condition of the outfit, he observed.
As they have no other means to generate income, they forced to open the highways, he alleged.
L Rameshwor said that due to lack of awareness on the rights of consumer given under the Consumers Protect Act, 1985, businessmen in collusion with bureaucrat officers are raising prices in their own hills.
Other talkers in the meeting stressed the need of checking the prices of the goods sky rocketing in the state taking advantage of the scarcity alleging that government fails to take initiatives in this regards.