Blockade relaxed for 5 days only
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 14 2008: THE 14-DAY old economic blockade on the NH-39 has been relaxed for five days from tomorrow (November 5) following an agreement between the striking students body and Manipur government after talks today at Senapati district headquarter.

The striking Senapati District Students Association (SDSA) has announced the relaxation of the economic blockade imposed by them for five days till November 19 but threatened to re-impose the same if the state government does not convert into work the assurance given to them with regard to the speeding up of the repairing works of the highway.

The striking students agreed to relax the same for only five days despite strong insistence from the state Works Minister, K Ranjit to suspend the blockade convincing that improvement works of the state portion of the highway had already started and were in progress.

SDSA leaders and members listening to Works Minister Ranjit's appeal at Senapati

A delegation of the state government led by Works Minister, K Ranjit, comprising three other MLAs from Senapati district namely K Raina, M Thorii and Doukhomang Khongsai and officials of the state PWD held talk with the representatives of the agitating students' body and members of the truckers association today at 11 am at Senapati community hall.

At the meeting which lasted for about two hours, the representatives of the students' body, who stuck to their stance, finally agreed to relax their stir for five days responding to the strong appeals of the delegation.

An earlier meeting on November 8 last between the delegation and student leaders had ended without any agreement as the students remained unchanging to their stance insisting the government to first translate into works the assurance given by the Works Minister on commencing the improvement work.

The SDSA imposed indefinite economic blockade along the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-39 from mid-night of November 1 decrying the failure of the state government to take up appropriate action to improve the badly deteriorated condition of the highway.

Calling economic blockade on this highway mean cutting off lifeline of the people of the state.

Bodies of truckers and oil tankers plying this route also extended support to the blockade by suspending their services.

Therefore, even though the government was ready to make arrangement for security escorts for the trucks, no truck was willing to ply.