Imphal, August 24 2009: Prices of the essential commodities in Manipur sky-rocketed owing the prolonged imposition of the economic blockade on the national highway-39 by a students body coinciding with the Chakka bandh called by the highway transporters and people agitations against July 23 fake encounter that rocking the state.

The chakka bandh of the highway transporters called jointly by the All Manipur Inter-State Bus Association, the Manipur Drivers' Welfare Association, the Imphal-Silchar Road Transporters Welfare Association and the All Manipur Petrol Tanker Drivers' Union coincide with the economic blockade continuing even though the economic blockade of the SDSA suspended yesterday following assurance given by the Union home secretary, GK Pillai during his visit in Senapati district in connection with a Development of Seminar.

These are amidst the bandhs, curfew and other disturbances in the state mostly in the Imphal in the wake of people agitations which have been escalating since August 2 last since the exposure of killing of a former militant by the police commandos in fake encounter on July 23 which a young pregnant woman also killed apart from injuring to five others.

Meanwhile, the prices of the essential commodities in the state have been sky rocketed which caused due to the disturbances in the procuring the items from outside the state through the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-39, the lifeline of the state.

As per finding of a survey in the Imphal market, the price of the common rice which was below Rs 15 per kg before the economic blockade has rose to Rs 19 while that of first class rice (local rice) rose from Rs 18 to Rs 24 .

The prices of onion, potato have also risen to Rs 20 and Rs 22 from its earlier prices of Rs 17 and Rs 18 per kg respectively.

The price of the edible oil also hike remarkably, that a tin of Tagore brand mustard oil which was Rs 70 before the economic blockade has rose to Rs 85 currently in Imphal market.

That of Engine brand rose from Rs 75 to 85 .

The price of per kg of muk dal has risen to Rs 72 and that of Arhar to Rs 75 per kg.

The prices of the essential commodities have been hiked due to various factors among other non-arrival of the goods regularly due to the disturbances and strikes in the state in the last around two months, observed the wholesalers in the Imphal market.

They said even though economic blockade is imposing, some trucks are procuring the items with high rate of fare.

Truckers said that the fare has been hike as they spend more on plying on the highways amidst the blockade.

They have to spend extra expenditure for save passage of the vehicle.

According to the truckers, they can passed Senapati area where blockade is imposing if they pay Rs 1000 (if the truck is empty) as fine and Rs 2000 for a loaded truck per trip.

The fine is collected by some persons who are said to be blockade callers, truckers said.

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