ATSUM fails to turn up, talk aborted
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 14, 2013:
The meeting between the State Government and Emboi Serto led ATSUM scheduled today was aborted as no representatives of ATSUM turned up for the meeting.
Notably, ATSUM has already announced an indefinite economic blockade on the National Highways from February 15 midnight pushing for a number of demands such as clearance of reservation rules during the upcoming Assembly session, delegation of full powers to ADCs under the District Council Act and conversion of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Manipur campus into a full fledged university etc.
ATSUM leaders were invited for a meeting with the Chief Minister at the Chief Minister's Secretariat at 9 am today but ATSUM did not give any response.
For the second time, the Government sent another invitation for a meeting at 2 pm but this time too ATSUM declined the invitation.
Emboi Serto maintained that the Government's invitation for dialogue was a little too late.
To impose the economic blockade in the most effective manner, ATSUM leaders have been mobilizing volunteers far away from Imphal.
ATSUM held separate meetings with Hmar Students' Association, KSO Tamenglong and Kuki Inpi Tamenglong today, Emboi Serto said.
With most of the leaders far away from Imphal either mobilizing support or attending Lui Ngai Ni festival, there is no leader at Imphal to talk with the Government.
Nonetheless, if the Government is willing to talk, a meeting may be fixed after Lui Ngai Ni festival, probably on February 17, he conveyed.
On the other hand, IOC's Chingmeirong oil depot has started supplying adequate quantity of fuel to ROs from today after fuel oil supply to ROs was restricted in the last couple of days.
According to information received from the depot, fuel supplied today were more than the normal volume.
Normal supply rate for a day is 90 Kls of petrol and 220 Kls of diesel.
But 230 Kls of petrol and 311 Kls of diesel were supplied to ROs today.
Notwithstanding the blockade call which starts from February 15 midnight, a large number of tankers would leave Imphal with security escorts tonight to ship in petroleum products, informed the source.