People in the state should come together and collectively put pressure on the state and central government to take up immediate measures to expedite a lasting solution and development of required infrastructure to ease the intermittent scarcity of essential commodities being faced in the state instead of indulging in negative and regressive politics and mudslinging amongst the cohabiting communities. This was expressed in a written communiqué from the All Manipur Indian Oil Dealers’ Association and signed by the Convenor K Nilakomol Singh today. The release also drew the attention of the state government on the need to control the prevailing practice of unauthorized roadside vendors selling petrol and other vehicle fuels. The statement added that the average daily requirement of automobile fuel in the state is 170 KL, but as of today, the stock has gone down to just 32 KL for the whole state. On the other hand, Sinam Ibungoton Singh, state level coordinator (Manipur), IOC remarked that since the Phesema landslide on August 18, the stock of vehicular fuel has not been replenished causing the stock to deplete abysmally low. He further added that the matter has been brought to the notice of the government and even discussed at length with the authorities including BRTF by the IOC officials. It was also disclosed that after about 100 trucks have been readied to be escorted towards Jiribam from Imphal, the plan was cancelled due to the 48-hour bandh along the Imphal-Silchar road which started today, adding that of the 390KL of petrol left in the state, 120 KL has been reserved for the state police force, 12 KL for the army and 60 KL for registered school transport vehicles while 150 KL is to remain unused in the storage tank. Effectively, only 48KL remains for distribution to the public before the stock goes dry. On the other hand, Phesema road is set to open to light vehicle after 4 days and after 7 to 8 days for heavy vehicles provided the weather holds. There is about 10 days stock for diesel in the state.
