Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 06 2009:
Land route connecting Manipur with other states has been totally cut off for the third day Thursday by the transporters chakka bandh colliding with the indefinite blockades on the national highways most important on NH-39 and 53 .
Inter-state passengers buses have stopped their services on these two routes, Imphal-Dimapur section of the national highway-39 and 53 while over 43 loaded trucks including eight oil tankers stranded at Khuzuma of Nagaland bordering with Manipur.
Supply of all commodities to Manipur stopped since transporters launched chakka bandh strike demanding repairing the two national highways.
The transport strike was called jointly by the All Manipur Inter-State Bus Association, the Manipur Drivers' Welfare Association, the Imphal-Silchar Road Transporters Welfare Association and the All Manipur Petrol Tanker Drivers' Union.
Mention may be made that the strike comes at a time when two student unions, All Tribal Students' Union and Senapati District Students' Association have been imposing indefinite economic blockade on the Imphal-Mao and Imphal-Jiribam sections of the highways which cut off supply of essential commodities in Manipur since July 5 .
While ATSUM imposed the blockade on July 5 midnight over a demand for amendment of the job reservation act and selection of site for the Indira Gandhi Tribal University, the other students' organisation joined in on July 26 demanding repair of Imphal-Kohima highway.
During the blockades, loaded trucks were escorted by the security forces upto Imphal but since the truckers suspended plying with the launching of the chakka bandh, they have totally stopped supply of essential commodities in the state.
With regard to the chakka bandh strike, president of the inter-state buses association, Budha Luwang has said that they decided to call the transport strike in support of the demand to repair the roads and also for safety of drivers plying along the national highways.
During the strike inter-state buses and trucks will not plied along the national highways, he said.
Transporters along Imphal-Moreh Road have also suspended their services extending support to the strike.people have to teach the puppet government headed by CM Ibobi and a handful of police commandos a lesson that the people reject what they are doing, the RPF said.