Imphal, November 06 2008: Owing to several factors that impeded transportation of the State's quota of rice from Dimapur FCI godown, there is no buffer stock of rice in Sangaiprou FCS godown.

An FCI official cited frequent economic blockades on National Highways, deplorable condition of NH-39 and multiple landslides along NH-39 in Nagaland sector as the main factors responsible for the failure of the State to bring its allotted quota of rice.

Earlier during the rainy season, multiple landslides impeded transport of rice from FCI godown and now the ongoing economic blockade has been hampering rice transport even as dry season has set in jeopardising the Department's effort to bring in the full allotted quota of rice.

Because of all these reasons, the Department is unable to store rice in the buffer stock, informed the official.

As major portion of the rice brought in by FCI contractors were deposited at the State's FCS godown, the FCS godown has sufficient quantity of rice at present.

The official also expressed his desire for the Government to repair NH-39 at the earliest so that the economic blockade is lifted and the FCI contractors are able to bring in the full allotted quota of rice before the short dry season is over.

The Senapati District Students' Association has been imposing the economic blockade in protest against the indifference of the Government over the deplorable condition of NH 39 .

In the face of the frequent blockades imposed on NH 39 for one reason or another, the FCI made preparations to bring in rice from the Silchar FCI godown along NH 53 .

But the preparation was put in disarray when the BRTF restricted weight of the trucks to 10 tonnes on the ground that the bridges along the highway cannot withstand more than the prescribed weight.

Under such situation, it is imperative for the State Government to develop NH 53 to the level of a standard highway and strengthen or rebuild all the bridges along the highway, he observed.

On the other hand, the number of trucks capable of transporting FCI rice has been decreasing while the allotted rice quota of the State has been hiked according to the increasing population.

Under such circumstances, the FCI officials have been facing great difficulties in hiring trucks to bring in the allotted quantity of rice.

One major factor responsible for the decrease in the number of trucks is the inability of the owners to pay instalments for buying their vehicles due to rampant extortion along the highway and frequent break-down of their vehicles due to the deplorable condition of the National highways.

Unable to pay instalments, many truck owners based in Manipur including non-Manipuris have sold out their trucks.

The problem is further worsened as the truck owners operating in Assam and Nagaland are reluctant to transport goods to Manipur because of its volatile law and order situation and the pathetic condition of NH 39 and NH 53 in Manipur sector.

Comment