FCI appeals for free flow of food-grain laden vehicles
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 16 2023:
FCI Divisional Office, Imphal manager (movement) Th Gambhir has appealed to the people to allow free flow of vehicles transporting food grains meant for the state and ensure that the same reach the depots in time.
Speaking to media persons at the Divisional Office at Yai-skul police lane on Friday, Th Gambhir reminded that drivers arp toiling to ensure regular supply of food grains to the state from Jiribam to depots through NH 37 and appealed to the people to extend cooperation.
Stating that the food grains are for the people, he urged to contact the office if anyone wants information about transportation of food grains.
While confiding that food grain stocks for three months in the state are be ing protected in depots by security forces, the manag er explained that the state government transported food grains from the depots as per the allocations while the central government has allocated additional 30,000 metric tonnes for June till August under relief package.
Th Gambhir also clarified that transportation of food gains for May had to be suspended due to the conflict, though 4700 metric tonnes of food grains have been transported since June 2 and 115 truck loads are on the way to the state.
The Centre had on Wednesday assured the Manipur government of complete support in ensuring sufficient foodgrains stock in different parts of the state and regular supplies of the entitled quan tities to NFSA beneficiaries.
"The estimated stock position will be sufficient to meet the requirement in the coming month.
The regular inflow of stocks will be main tained to ensure that there is no scarcity of foodgrains in any part of the state," an official statement said.
Union Food Secretary San-jeev Chopra visited Imphal on Wednesday and reviewed the functioning of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in Manipur in the wake of the recent law and order issues.
In the course of the visit, Chopra met State Food and Consumer Minister L Susindro Meitei and Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi.
According to the statement, the Centre has allocated an additional quantity of 30,000 tonne of rice in view of the current law and order situation for a period of three months � June to August � for non-NFSA beneficiaries to the Manipur government.
Presently, the stock position at nine depots is 30,600 tonne, which is adequate against the total monthly allocation of 12,000 tonne under the NFSA and 6,500 tonne under non-NFSA.
Besides, the Centre is exploring additional routes to ensure a smooth and seamless supply of foodgrains through various routes like from Dimapur, Silchar and Bairabi to Manipur and inducting a total of 25,500 tonne of rice in the state by the end of the current month, it added.
Meanwhile, supplies of essential items including baby food and medicines and movement of security forces have been hit in several areas of Manipur because of blockades of both the National Highway leading to the state by tribals as well as at least six arterial roads by women - led vigilante groups.
Sources said that in the past one week, 4,000 trucks carrying essential supplies reached the valley via NH 37, which is the only road that is open for now.
The blocking of key roads at several areas � from the valley to the hill districts in the south � has become a new challenge for the Assam Rifles and the Army, a source said on Friday.
"As of now, NH 2 and several key arteries are blocked in the state, badly affecting transportation of supplies & even delays timely response.
Since women led vigilante groups or Meira Paibis are in the forefront of the blockades on several roads, the security forces are finding it difficult to clear it using force, " the Army source said.
Gyaneswari, a former general secretary of Apun-ba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL), a prominent women NGO of the Northeastern state, blamed the blockade by Kuki tribals of the National Highway No 2 for the supply crisis, but also admitted that Meira Paibis (Meitei womens' groups) have also barricaded six arterial roads to allegedly "prevent miscreants from entering villages with weapons and bombs.
She added, "The Centre needs to act immediately and solve the crisis" .
The lack of women contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to handle women protestors is leading to delays in carrying out operations and sending supplies to affected areas, the army source said.
According to sources, the six arterial roads that have been blocked are Bishnupur Churachan-dpur; Thoubal-Wang -jing; Thoubal-Yairipok; Yairipok-Chandrakhong; Kakching-Lamkhai, and Uripok-Iroisemba.