Assam blockade may affect fuel supply
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 30 2017: The indefinite economic blockade announced by the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad, Assam from Numaligarh, Golaghat district to Tinsukia, Upper Assam in pursuit of their demand for inclusion of six indigenous communities of Assam in the Scheduled Tribe category may affect fuel supply to the State .

The indefinite blockade was announced on June 29 and it would come into effect from July 1 .

On the other hand, oil tanker drivers undertook cease work strike till June 28 after a convoy of oil tankers escorted by CRPF was fired upon by unknown persons between Kangpokpi and Changoubung at around 6 am of June 25 .

Moreover, empty oil tankers have been refusing to leave Imphal since June 26 demanding that they would take Imphal-Jiribam highway rather than Imphal-Dimapur for shipping in fuel .

In the meantime, CAF&PD Minister Karam Shyam held a meeting with oil tanker drivers and transporters .

During the meeting, oil tanker drivers and transporters categorically stated that they would not transport fuel along Imphal-Dimapur highway.

They urged the Minister to make necessary arrangements so that fuel can be shipped in along Imphal-Jiribam highway .

The Minister maintained that changing the fuel transportation route to Imphal-Jiribam highway would require a policy and he appealed to the fuel transporters to stick to Imphal- Dimapur highway.

As such, the meeting ended without coming to any agreement .

It is still unclear when and along which route oil tankers would leave Imphal to ferry fuel.

It is at this juncture that the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad announced the indefinite economic blockade.

According to information received from IOC's Imphal Divisional Retail Sales Office, there is 16 days' stock of petrol at IOC's Malom depot and 31 days' stock of diesel .

The State's daily requirement of petrol and diesel as per IOC's market share are 184 Kls and 282 Kls respectively.

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