Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 11 2010:
Vehicles queued up at retail fuel outlets today as open sale of petrol and diesel started after a gap of four months with government de-rationing sale of
petroleum products.
Oil pumps in the state remained closed for almost four months since disturbances came up in the normal ferry of the items on the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-39 .
The same disturbances still exist but IOC has been able to replenish stocks of petrol and diesel which were sharply depleted.
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has replenished the stocks of petrol and diesel to last for 13 days with the initiatives from the Central and State governments in procuring the items from Khatkati in Assam.
The stocks had depleted due to the prolonged imposition of an economic blockade on the national highways, particularly the Imphal-Dimapur section of NH-39, by ANSAM
and UNC.
The situation worsened even after the two bodies suspended the blockade because Transporters' and Drivers' Council (TDC) refused to ply vehicles on NH-39 .
While the TDC is not withdrawing their stand, UNC once again imposed a 20-day economic blockade which has entered its seventh day today.
Despite the blockade, IOC started procuring petroleum products through NH-39 with security escort provided by personnel of the 86th Battalion CRPF on an everyday basis for the last two weeks.
Over 265 oil tankers carrying petrol and diesel have been procured in the last 10 days in Imphal via NH-39.This number is above the 50 oil tankers which arrived at Imphal via NH-53, official reports said.
The open sale of petrol and diesel started from today after the state Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution issued an order de-controlling the selling of the products by retail outlets.
The department has been controlling the selling of the products since the stock position sharply declined in the last four months.
Almost all fuel retail outlets in Imphal area were opened selling petrol and diesel.
Customers were seen queuing up at the outlets including NRL oil pumps.