Serpentine que for cooking gases in Manipur

Imphal, Oct 23: After about a fortnight of closure of all gas agencies in Manipur about a dozen gas agencies opened today.

The scene in front of the booking counters were chaotic as people lined up to get a gas cylinder. An agency official said due to the high demand the cooking gas will be given to only those who had booked earlier.

Each agency was distributing about 200 to 600 gas cylinders which left most people angry and disappointed.

Due to an economic blockade by the All Manipur Died in harness appointment demand committee and increase of taxation at Nagaland on NH 39 the trucks carrying gas and petroleum products were not able to come to Imphal.

Under heavy escort about trucks carrying petroleum products and gas were brought to Imphal on saturday. The drivers said had to pay about Rs 2000 per trip, to pass through Nagaland as there was a check post every step and the legal and illegal taxations had increased and each truck had to pay around Rs 4000 per trip which most transporters can not afford.

Most drivers have demanded repair of the alternative highway no 53 via Jiribam, Silchar and the drivers said the highway was single lane and most bridges cannot support trucks carrying goods.

A housewife said she had to pay Rs 700 just to get the cylinder in black market due to scarcity of cooking gas. The transporters were reluctant to transport goods on the highway under escort as they later face the music when there was no escort.

UNI