Delhi keeps word; CRPF troops start arriving to sanitise National Highways
First step of Operation 'Clear NH-39' begins
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 17, 2010 Consequent to the Union Home Ministry's resolve to secure the National Highways that connect Imphal with other parts of the country, a company of CRPF women personnel arrived here on a special aircraft even as five companies of their male counterparts have already entered Manipur late in the evening from Dimapur and Guwahati.

However, inspite of the joint efforts of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the State Government to transport essential items from Guwahati under escort of CRPF teams, authorities of Food Corporation of India have reportedly intimated to the State's Consumers Affair, Food and Public Distribution Department that it would not be able to provide its trucks for transportation of goods to Manipur.

Women troops of the CRPF on drill on their arrival from Delhi at Langjing on June 17

The arrival of the CRPF troops comes close on the heels of the joint meeting convened by the Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai with the Chief Secretary of Manipur and two Additional Chief Secretaries of Nagaland at Delhi yesterday.

Meanwhile, speaking to newspersons at the CRPF Group Centre at today, DIGP (Manipur Range) MS Raghava said the CRPF Directorate have approved deployment of Five companies of the para-military force personnel in Manipur, specifically to protect the highways and ensure safe passage of vehicles.

Moreover, one Mahila company of CRPF has already arrived this afternoon on a special Indian Air Force flight from New Delhi and are stationed at the Langjing complex, the DIG confirmed.

Out of the five CRPF companies requisitioned for duty in Manipur and which have already left their base, three from Dimapur would be stationed at Senapati while two others from Guwahati are expected to reach the State tomorrow, he informed.

Raghava further confided that the areas where the additional forces would be deployed will be decided in consultation with the State Government as no definite decision of the matter has been taken so far.

Responding to a query, he informed that three CRPF companies are already deployed along the National Highway-53 while such deployment/arrangement had not been taken up on the Manipur section of NH-39 route.

The DIG, however said that in connection with the security, arrangements in the wake of NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah's proposed visit to his birth place in Manipur, three CRPF companies are being stationed at Mao area.

A late information received from Senapati district police said that three companies of the CRPF from Dimapur have already arrived at the district headquarters this evening.

Reporters who went to CRPF Group Centre, Langjing witnessed personnel of the freshly inducted Mahila CRPFs facing the impact of the prolonged economic blockade as there was shortage of cooking gas (LPG) on their arrival.

As temporary measure, earthen hearths have been constructed to prepare their meals.

Mention may be made that requisition of additional para-military force units was formally announced yesterday after a meeting of the Union Home Secretary GK Pillai with the Chief Secretary of Manipur and Additional Chief Secretaries of Nagaland at New Delhi.

Even though the over two month long economic blockade had thrown up a humanitarian crisis in Manipur, transport operators have already declared that they would not take the the Imphal-Dimapur route as they have to endure various inconveniences, ranging from extortions by several armed groups, dubbed as 'taxes' to harassment of drivers.