Govt changes mind, opts for NH-37
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 07 2014: Abandoning its earlier plan to send petroleum tankers and LPG bullets along Imphal-Dimapur highway, the Government of Manipur is considering to send oil tankers and LPG bullets along Imphal-Jiribam highway.

Earlier, the Government was mulling to send oil tankers and LPG bullets together with other empty trucks on Imphal-Dimapur highway with security escorts after making necessary arrangements for foolproof security.

However, the Government is apprehensive that bandh supporters may unleash violence and even set afire oil tankers and other trucks, and hence the change of plan.

Sources informed that more than 100 empty oil tankers and around 40 empty LPG bullets would leave Imphal for Jiribam on September 9 with security escorts.

Vehicles make their way through Imphal-Jiribam line

It is reported that the convoy which left Imphal for Jiribam last morning did not include any oil tanker or LPG bullets.

The convoy which would leave Imphal on September 9 is expected to reach Silchar next day.

From there, security escorts would escort back 50 petrol tankers, 70 diesel tankers and 10 SK Oil tankers which are not putting up at Khatkhatti, fully loaded and awaiting arrival of security escorts.

Around 30 to 40 oil tankers which would leave Imphal on September 9 would be loaded at Silchar while the remaining would be loaded at Guwahati.

For this, official communications have been established with the IOC's Deputy General Manager based at Guwahati.

At present, there are 1465 Kls of petrol in stock including 53 standing TTs whose total capacity is 734 Kls.

Out of the 1465 Kls, 150 Kls are unpumpable while 12 Kls must be reserved for emergency.

As such, only 1303 Kls of petrol are available for distribution to public, and this would last for around 12 days at the rate of 120 Kls per day.

The existing stock of diesel is 3821 Kls of diesel including 47 standing TTs whose total capacity is 618 Kls but 250 Kls are unpumpable and 12 Kls must be reserved for emergency.

As such, only 3559 Kls are available for distribution to public and this would last for 16 days at the rate of 220 Kls per day.

Meanwhile, the United Naga Council (UNC) has ruled out any possibility of lifting or suspending the bandh.

Given this situation, the State would certainly face acute scarcity of fuel as one single trip of transporting fuel along Imphal-Jiribam highway would take 5 to 10 days given the pathetic condition of the highway and the distance.

Even as there was no shipping of petroleum products for the past four days since the UNC's ban on vehicular movement came into effect, the State Government could not take a concrete decision regarding the routes and mode of transshipping essential commodities including fuel.

What is exacerbating the situation is the absence of the IOC's State Level Coordinator at Imphal who otherwise should coordinate distribution of fuel to the public whether it is through IOC's oil pumps or oil pumps of private companies like Essar, NRL etc, the source added.