No fuel for public sale from tomorrow
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 03 2011: With transportation of petrol and diesel to Manipur remaining affected following breakdown of Soroghat bridge in Silchar, Assam and the existing stock of fuel fast running out, public distribution of petrol and diesel may ceased from November 5 .

According to information received from the lone oil depot of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at Chingmeirong, there were only 301 KL of petrol and 800 KL of diesel in the stock of the oil depot till this morning.

In normal public distribution, the existing stock would last for three days only.

However, as some quantity of fuel is to be kept in reserve for the security forces who are responsible for maintaining law and order as well as for the VVIPs, it could be said that there is nothing left for public distribution.

If there is no possibility of bringing oil within the next couple of days, the oil depot would definitely run dry.

In connection with the impending fuel crisis, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution N Biren, who is also the spokesperson of the SFP government, has admitted that the situation is indeed very grave.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Biren informed that considering the gravity of the situation, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh brushed aside the protocol and called on Union Home Minister P Chidambaram at Raj Bhavan late last night to press for central intervention.

In the meeting, during which he himself was present, Biren disclosed that three proposals were put forward from the side of the state government.

The first proposal was for central intervention in reopening National Highway -2 (Imphal-Dimapur Road) to traffic.

The second proposal was immediate repairing of the broken bridge at Silchar or diverting the route and the third proposal was transportation of oil from Guwahati to Jiribam by train and then filling up the oil tankers bound for Imphal.

Consequent to this, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today held a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for about 45 minutes and later has given assurance of making an immediate alternative arrangement for allowing the oil tankers to cross the area where the bridge has broken down, the government spokesperson informed.

Biren further informed that he had also met AICC's north east in-charge Faleiro, Chairman of IOC RS Butla, Member of Traffic Railway Board KK Srivastava at Imphal Airport today and pressed for immediate central intervention to bail out the state from the impending fuel crisis.

Consequently, Srivastava has assured train service for transportation of petrol and diesel from Guwahati to Jiribam, and it has been agreed that a high level team including General Manager of IOC would go to Jiribam tomorrow for necessary inspection and field work.

In addition, Director of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Yaiskul would also be leaving Imphal for Silchar tomorrow.

Following the meeting between the Union Home Minister and the Assam Chief Minister, the stranded oil tankers have proceeding towards Jiribam after taking a diversion route from Silchar to Jadinga.

In all six oil tankers have reached Jiribam by late evening today and more are expected tomorrow, Minister Biren said.

Furthermore, the Minister recalled that Union Home Minister expressed strong resentment over lack of progress in the development work being taken by BRO along the National Highways during a joint meeting last night.

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