CRPF men sustain escort duty
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 22 2011:
Relentless vigil by troops and officers of various CRPF battalions along the Imphal-dimapur section of National Highway 39 has ameliorated hardships of land-locked Manipur to a certain degree.
according to a top CRPF officer, the Ministry of Home Affairs as a special case decided to deploy as well as station CRPF units along the Imphal-Dimapur section of the Highway as this important stretch lay exposed to disruptive elements.
Apparently referring to prolonged imposition of economic blockade last year and the fact that NGOs often enforce strike to settle score with the Government, the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity asserted that since CRPF personnel were engaged to escort vehicles carrying essential commodities to Manipur the situation in the entire State has improved significantly.
Due to emphasis on ensuring safe passage of trucks carrying petroleum products, bullet tankers (LPG carriers) and FCI items the problem of scarcity of essential items faced by the people in the recent past has been brought to normal at present, the officer maintained while pointing out that the CRPF personnel have been escorting these vehicles since July 25, 2010 .
For incident-free passage of goods carriers from Dimapur to Imphal, one company each of 32 battalion, 69 Bn, 109 Bn and 143 Bn of the CRPF are being stationed at Senapati district areas and these troops are being engaged in the maintenance of law and order as well as deployed on duty as Road Opening Parties (ROPs) .
Explaining on the security arrangement for the vehicles, the officer said personnel of Nagaland-based 78 Bn and 173 Bn escort the trucks from Dimapur upto Mao Gate from where troops of 86 Bn and 109 Bn CRPF are responsible for escorting the convoy till Imphal.
He further clarified that CRPF teams not only provide escort to petroleum, LPG and FCI vehicles but the same facility is also extended to other trucks heading outside or coming into Manipur with loads.
It is also informed that activities of CRPF units stationed at Senapati district areas are being monitored under the direct supervision of an officer holding the rank of Second-in-Command/Deputy Commandant.
The officer further detailed that since July 2010 till January 29 this year, 3154 IOC tankers, 1029 bullet tankers and 2366 FCI trucks have been brought to Imphal by escort teams of CRPF.