About 100 vehicles stranded on Manipur-Nagaland border

Mao/Imphal, Mar 27 (UNI) At least 100 trucks were stranded on the Manipur-Nagaland border due to indefinite economic blockade called by the All Tribal Students' Association of Manipur (ATSUM).

Police said some passenger vehicles carrying goods were damaged by the bandh supporters on the National Highway. Some vehicles were stranded at Kangpokpi area of Senapati district.

The drivers were having a tough time as they had to prepare food by removing diesel from their vehicles.

The ATSUM called the bandh from March 25 midnight following lack of infrastructure and manpower in all educational institutes in the hilly areas. They demanded functional office of Additional director hills, education department, hill university, filling of vacant posts in the educational institutes, recruitment of local people among other things for improving the areas here.

The NH-39, which passes through Nagaland is the only highway which connects the state to the outside world.

The Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has announced that it would support the strike if the state government failed to fulfil the demands of the ATSUM.

''The government should do something before the situation turns ugly,'' DESAM members said.

Official sources said the government was trying its best to hold talks with ATSUM leaders to resolve the crisis.

Last year, the state also witnessed two-month old economic blockade called by the All Naga Students' Association of Manipur.

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