Serpentine queue for cooking gase in Manipur

Imphal, Oct 21 (UNI) About a fortnight after all gas agencies remained shut in Manipur, a few agencies opened today.

The scene in front of the booking counters were chaotic as people lined up to get a cylinder. An agency official said due to 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 (AMDIHADC) 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 trucks carrying petroleum products and gas were brought to Imphal on Saturday. The drivers said they had to pay about Rs 2000 per trip to pass through Nagaland as there was a check post at every step. The legal and illegal taxations has increased and each truck is now required to pay around Rs 4000 per trip, which most transporters cannot afford.

Most drivers have demanded repair of the alternative highway no 53 via Jiribam, Silchar. The drivers also said that highway was single lane, 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.

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