Dy CM orders removal of all unauthorized police gates
Transporters call off proposed stir
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati/Imphal, February 18 2015: A week after truck drivers met Home Minister Gaikhangam against the excessive levying of gate entry fees by Mao police at Mao-gate, five unions have claimed that the Home Minister has ordered removal of all unauthorized police gates with immediate effect from February 16 .

According to a statement issued by Truck Drivers and Owners Association, the Minister has, in the order, given assurance that any collection of money or entry fee should be notified to authorities concerned where it would be dealt with strictly.

According to the Surface Transport Hills Area Driver's Welfare Union, Senapati District Driver's Welfare Union, Senapati District Truck Owners' Association, Senapati District Truck Drivers' Union and All Manipur Road Transporters, Drivers and Motor Workers Union, the Deputy CM assured that the order will be implemented without delay owing to which the five associations have decided to call off the proposed 'chakka bandh' which was to be imposed starting February 20 .

As per the order by the Home Department, the unions claimed, except for police gate located at Mao-gate and Sekmai, all other gates located in Tadubi, Senapati DHQ, Kangpokpi and Sapormeina will be removed.

Representatives of the said bodies further said that the Home Minister was apprised about the situation and a memorandum was submitted some days back after police authorities in Senapati failed to resolve the matter at the meeting held at Mao-gate on February 10 with the SP and truck representatives along with Mao town committee members.

Mention may be made that in the evening of February 9, some local truck drivers staged an agitation against the unabated system of money collection by Mao gate police by refusing to cross the border gate.

The unions alleged that the police were collecting entry fees without any uniformity.

By February 10 morning, more than 150 trucks coming to Manipur were stranded at Mao to endorse the agitation which led to the intervention of the SP, Tadubi SDO and other officials.

The attempt to resolve the matter, however, failed and the truck association went knocking at the doors of the Home Minister.

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