Imphal, January 04 2008: OWNERS OF the bullet tankers today asked the NSCN (IM) to clarify on the controversy arising out of threats on the movement of bullet tankers for procurement of LPG from Assam on NH-53 .

The owners are demanding to clear the confusion by clarifying whether it was true or false to the report that the outfit has agreed on the resumption of services of the bullet tankers on the highway.

If they do not clarify within the next three or four days, then they will assume that the outfit has agreed with the resumption of plying of the vehicles, the owners said.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, the owners said that the suspension of supply of LPG by the tankers was related with expression of decrying on taking custody of two drivers of the bullet tankers namely Karka Prashad (33) and Manoj Rai hailing from Char Hachar on the suspicion of maintaining link with the NSCN (IM) and remanding in the police custody for six day.

But considering the shortest of cooking gas facing by the people of the state and inconveniences causing to the prolong halting of vehicles on the way, 33 loaded bullet tankers arrived at Sekmai Bottling Plant today and off loaded, the owners also informed.

The state started facing the shortest of cooking gas since the suspension of services of the bullet tankers from December 8 following threats from the NSCN (IM) for non-payment of Rs.13 lakhs as godown tax to the outfit by the authority of the Sekmai Bottling Plant.

Later, in a meeting with the chief minister, the owners were informed of NSCN (IM) relaxing from threatening to the tankers after the matter was put up to the Monitoring Cell looking after the ground rule of the ceasefire pact between the GOI and the outfit by the state police chief.

With the commitment of the government full proof security, the tanker resumed their services from January 2 but vehicles turned back from Maram area after received of threats from NSCN (IM) cadres.

They also reportedly told the tankers that there were no settlements on the matter till date.

While the owners and tanker drivers are in confusion on the matter, government, gas plant as well as IOC have pressured the owners and drivers to resume the services.

.

Comment