Manipur MP asks Patil to raise Special Highway Protection Force

New Delhi, Mar 26 (UNI) Member of Parliament from Manipur Thokchom Meinya today urged Home Minister Shivraj Patil to extend all possible help to contain the law and order situation in the state at the earliest.

Dr Meinya, in a statement issued here, said the fast track development and employment in the North Eastern Region (NER) was the only answer for containing the volatile situation in the region.

He said the entire NER had been lagging behind from the rest of the country for many decades in all spheres of life particularly in the areas of employment, economic opportunities, healthcare, infrastructure, irrigation, power, water supply, roads and communication.

''Of late, life has become very difficult in Manipur on account of acute shortage in power, water and supply of essential commodities, including kerosene oil.'' Dr Meinya said, adding that the power supply was never enough even for charging the batteries of mobile phones.

He said NH-39 and NH-53, the two lifelines of Manipur, had an urgent need to be converted to four-lane for the smooth flow of transports. Many a time, the passenger buses and goods trucks had been being robbed and looted. Besides, heavy taxes were being levied by many organisations under different pretext, the leader added.

The Home Ministry should think of raising a special Highway Protection Force immediately for exclusive deployment on these NHs, he said.

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