FCS Minister refutes allegations from UGs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 29: Reacting to the diktats and allegations of the UG groups that Government nominated kerosene agents and hawkers should sell the kerosene to the people at a price not be more than Rs 14 per litre, FCS Minister Y Erabot has categorically stated that the State Government would not be cowed down by such threats and diktats and would do what it deems fit.

Talking to mediapersons at his office chamber located in the New Secretariat today, Erabot explained that in view of the problem of unavailability of kerosene among the people, the Government has allowed the kerosene hawkers to sell kerosene at the rate of Rs 20 per litre in public interest through mobile service on rickshaws.

But the kerosene hawkers are being threatened by some UG groups insisting that the kerosene should be sold at the rate of Rs 14 per litre.

K-Oil hawkers filling up their containers with the fuel

The State Government would never fall in line to such threats and the Government would do the needful, he said, adding that is no question of surrender of the kerosene hawkers and their agents to the UG outfits.

No one should also try to politicalise the issue, the Minister cautioned.

The Minister further said that among the rickshaw hawkers who have been given permission by the FCS Department to sell kerosene at the rate of Rs 20, there are many widows whose husbands have been slain.

When nothing had been done to check the price while the kerosene was being sold in the open market at the rate of Rs 30 to 40 per litre, why disturbance is being created when the kerosene is being made available to the people at the rate of Rs 20 per litre, the Minister demanded to know.

It is a known fact that people putting up at RIMS and JN Hospital in connection with looking after sick persons are spending upto Rs 40 per litre on buying kerosene to cook their food on stoves, the Minister pointed out.

In consideration of this problem as well as in view of the prevailing law and order condition, permission has been given for mobile sale of kerosene at the rate of Rs 20 per litre on trial basis, he explained.

Hawkers who have to walk around under the hot sun ensuring availability of kerosene to the people relatively at a cheaper rate deserve to get some benefit atleast, the Minister observed.

The Minister asserted if at all people are opposed to selling kerosene at the rate of Rs 20 per litre, the Government may think of doing away with the arrangement.

Otherwise, there is no question of listening to the diktats of the UG groups.

Asking the hawkers to surrender is nothing but only an old bad habit of the outlawed organisations, the FCS Minister said, while reiterating that price rise of essential commodities in Manipur today is due to the threats and restriction imposed on Non-Manipuris agents.

Clarifying that the arrangement of providing kerosene to the people through rickshaw hawkers is not to gain popularity or with an eye on vote bank, the Minister said that although the announcement of relinquishing their kerosene quota by the UG groups in view of the problem of erratic power supply was appreciable, there has been no let up to deduction of quota from other oil pumps.

Under strict security measures, 30,000 litres of kerosene are being issued to the MLAs from the BE Oil Pump at North AOC.

Quota deduction from this Government run pump has made not possible.

Keeping aside the question of generosity or not, no disturbance should be given.

Some of the MLAs are yet to receive the kerosene quota for the month of April, the Minister.

On the other hand, worried kerosene hawkers have appealed to the underground organisations which have put restriction on selling the kerosene at a price not most than Rs 14 per litre to allow them selling the kerosene at the rate of Rs 20 per litre.

A joint meeting of the kerosene hawkers was held at Porompat PDA complex today to discuss the issue related to rounding up of some kerosene hawkers and asking some others to surrender by two UG outfits.

During the meeting the kerosene hawkers issued a fervent appeal to all concerned to allow them to sell the kerosene at the rate of Rs 20 per litre.

According to some women kerosene hawkers, after deduction of the transportation charges and other expenditure, selling of the kerosene at Rs 14 per litre is not possible.

They said they are members of self help groups and have carrying out mobile sale of the kerosene after formation of teams consisting of four women each.