CCoFA highway bandh set to come into force
Source: The Sangai Express

Dimapur, October 16 2016: As decided earlier, the Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) comprising of 21 civil society organisations of Nagaland is all set to impose the indefinite bandh on fuel tankers and Government vehicles along the National Highways within Nagaland State from 6 am of October 17 as their first phase agitation.

All Manipur tankers have also been requested to avoid plying along NH-29 (between Dimapur and Mao Gate) .

Travellers have also been requested by CCoFA to be “careful since entry of Government vehicles to Dimapur from Assam side too will be barred”.

Volunteers will be deployed at New Field Check Gate, Dillai Gate, and Chumoukedima Check point.

CCoFA highway bandh set to come into force

During the 1st phase of the agitation, no fuel tankers or Government vehicles (NL-10s) will be allowed to ply along the said route.

However, for the sake of the common man, NST buses will be exempted from the bandh.

The nature of the indefinite bandh is such that there will be no restrictions on vehicular movements inside the towns, including Government vehicles.

But movement of oil tankers inside the town is strictly prohibited.

“In case, the Government does not accede to our demands , the CCoFA will initiate the 2nd or final phase of indefinite highway bandh where vehicular movement will be totally stopped, State-wide.

All Manipur tankers are requested to avoid plying on NH-29,” it said.

The CCoFA assured the public that the indefinite bandh will be peaceful.

The CCoFA also appealed to all its supporters that to refrain from violence since the agitation is on a moral issue.

It is worth recalling here that as per the public meeting resolution of September 10 which had resolved for such a stir in case the Nagaland Government fail to institute a CBI enquiry on the fuel adulteration case within a given time for thorough investigation of the fuel adulteration issue and to “re-arrest” all the fuel adulteration kingpins.

The Co-ordination Committee formed by a public resolution held on September 10, 2016 , met the Chief Secretary of Nagaland on September 23 and submitted a memorandum containing the resolutions adopted on September 10.Among the resolutions are that the ‘house resolved to serve 15 (fifteen) days’ time to the Nagaland State Government to bring in the CBI for thorough investigation of the fuel adulteration issue and to “re-arrest” all the fuel adulteration kingpins’.

The memorandum was signed by representatives of the Coordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration comprising of NTC, CAVCA, CCCTA, BAN, YAN, DUCCF, NMDA, DEEHA, Diphupar Naga Students’ Union, ENSUD, DALT, SN, NHRA, EDBA, Concerned Senior Citizens’ Forum, Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), Petroleum Dealers’ Association, Chumukedima Town Youth Organisation, and DDCF.

The 15 days ultimatum started from September 23 and expired on October 8.“Therefore, with the expiry of the deadline, the CCoFA will carry out the bandh on National Highways in an indefinite manner but in phases.

In the 1st phase, there will be total restriction on the movement of all fuel tankers and also all Nagaland Government registered vehicles along NH-29 (AH-1).This is also to say that the movement of other vehicles shall not be disturbed anywhere in the State during the 1st phase of the agitation save for the blacklisted category of vehicles.

Volunteers will be deployed at strategic locations, including New Field Check Gate and Dillai Gate to carry out the public resolution.

In case the State Government still refuses to accede to popular demand, the CCoFA will be forced to widen the scope of the indefinite bandh and implement the next phase and so forth till the demands are met.

However, keeping in mind the ongoing festival, “the CCoFA will implement the indefinite bandh only from October 17,” the Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration said.

The Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration appealed to “our Manipuri brethren to bear with the difficulty that may lie ahead but which nevertheless can be amicably settled if the Nagaland Government does the right thing by calling the CBI in.

“It may be mentioned once again that the State of Manipur is the largest beneficiary of the fuel adulteration racket; up to 70-80% of the adulterated fuel consignment from Dimapur is disposed off at this State.

Therefore, the indefinite highway bandh on movement of fuel tankers and Nagaland Government vehicles is in the interest of all right thinking citizens”, Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration added.

The CCoFA said today that the indefinite highway bandh called by it from October 17 has nothing to do with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the charge-sheet to be filed by it, as supposed by the Cabinet .

The CCoFA also said it is not bothered whether the SIT is filing its charge-sheet within 3 days, or 10 days or after 1 month.

“The point which the CCoFA wants to convey to the public is that the SIT cannot satisfactorily bring the case to its logical conclusion because the fuel adulteration issue is not merely confined to the 5 kingpins.

This racket involves virtually the whole of the Food & Civil Supplies Department, the DCs of the districts, and the politicians.

For instance, the Naga public are not fools to believe that the SIT will dare charge-sheet the portfolio in charges of F&CS Department in the last 15-20 years, if indeed they are found culpable.

Therefore, to begin with, the SIT was formed with its hands tied behind and its integrity already compromised.

This was the very reason the ACAUT had previously rejected the SIT when it was first announced.

Thus, the Government is requested not to mislead the public,” CCoFA added.

The CCoFA appealed to the Naga public for solidarity and prayer support.

The CCoFA is also of the view that a CBI investigation should also culminate in complete overhauling or cleansing of the most corrupt F&CS Department which automatically will benefit lakhs of Naga families living from hand to mouth.

“Therefore, the CCoFA totally condemn the confrontational attitude of the State Government when instead it should be assisting it.

This agitation is a moral battle between the vast majority of helpless citizens on one side and the insensitive Government on the other side and indeed the repercussions will be serious.

By adopting a confrontational attitude, the Government has by default declared that it supports the kingpins, Dinanath, Srikanth, Umesh, Naval and Ajay Prasad and will continue to support corruption,” it added.

It then cautioned that if any untoward incident takes place, the Government will be solely responsible.

“It is with a deep sense of gratitude that the CCoFA also announces that,apart from NFC Gate, Dillai and Chumoukedima Check Gate, bandh along the entire stretch of Highway-29 will be manned by youth volunteers of Zubza, Peducha and Medziphema in their respective jurisdictions.  The law enforcing agencies on their part should have nothing to worry about since the agitation will be peaceful and non-violent; in tune with Gandhian philosophy,” CCoFA stated.