Imphal, June 15 2010: To discuss the problem of shortage of essential commodities including petroleum products on account of total economic blockade along the National Highways and ensure lifting of the blockade, Union Home Secretary GK Pillai has convened a joint meeting with the Chief Secretaries of Nagaland and Manipur tomorrow at New Delhi.

On June 18, oil tankers and bullet tankers are scheduled to leave for Assam to lift petroleum products along National Highway-39 with CRPF escorts.

Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, a highly placed source said that the Union Home Secretary has summoned both the Chief Secretary of Manipur DS Poonia and Chief Secretary of Nagaland Lalthara at New Delhi for a joint meeting tomorrow to discuss the issues related to imposition of economic blockade along National Highways-39 and 53 and the resultant acute shortage of essential commodities in Manipur.

Accordingly, Chief Secretary of Manipur DS Poonia today left Imphal for New Delhi.

Before leaving, Poonia had separate meetings with the Chief Minister and Commissioner of Consumers' Affairs & Public Distribution, the source disclosed.

Informing that 30 companies of Central Paramilitary forces would be arriving to ensure lifting of the blockade as well as protection along the National Highways, the source said that the some companies of the Paramilitary personnel would start arriving from Dimapur in two batches from tomorrow while the Home Ministry has made arrangement for airlifting the CRPF personnel that presently stationed at Tripura.

According to a reliable source, 87 Bn of the CRPF posted at Tripura has not yet received any official intimation to move to Manipur nor is there any certainty about the arrival of the force in the next couple of days.

Nonetheless, the State Government has reportedly inspected the sites where the CRPF companies would be posted along the National Highways, specially in Senapati district.

Following the instruction of the Union Home Minister for lifting petroleum products from Assam through National Highway 39 with CRPF escorts on June 18, the State Government has also started discussion on whether or not it would be appropriate to send the tankers on this day in view of the June 18 Uprising observance and suspension of normal activities on this day.

According to a top official of the State Home Department, over and above the 18 companies of CRPF/BSF which are currently deployed in Manipur in connection with the conduct of the ADC election as well as to prevent visit of NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah, the Centre has already identified 30 companies of Central Paramilitary forces for deployment and protection of National Highway 39.The situation in Manipur is being observed closely by the Centre and the State Government and discussion are underway on the deployment of the Central Paramilitary force, the source said, while expressing hope that some positive change is likely to come after the scheduled joint meeting of the Union Home Secretary with the Chief Secretaries of Manipur and Nagaland tomorrow.