Imphal, January 09 2009: SINCE THE closure of the government oil depot in Imphal in connection with cease-work strike of the officers of the oil companies across the country, petrol filing stations across Manipur closed down Friday citing "stock nil" but patrol black marketers emerge nearby the oil pumps and make good earning by selling petrol at hike price.

Meanwhile, around 100 oil tankers with petrol and diesel, procured from oil depots and refineries in Assam, arriving here in Imphal Thursday afternoon have stranded nearby the oil depot centre as officials who joint the nationwide strike from Thursday refused to off-load the fuels.

All the petrol pumps in Imphal and at the outskirt of state's capital have closed down today citing that there were no stocks in the pumps but interestingly many people with plenty of petrol in bottles and other containers emerge nearby the oil pumps and selling vehicles fuel at higher rate.

Even though oil pumps remain closed, petrol is available at the higher rate ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 60 per litre to that of normal prices of Rs 43.17 per litre in Imphal.

It has been a normal practice of the authority of the petrol retail outlets in Manipur to close down their stations if there emerges certain disturbances in the normal functioning of the government control oil stocking centre like shortest of stock due to the prolong blockades or bandhs on the NH-39 connecting Imphal with other states of the country and transporters strike etc.

Authorities do not take up any action which has been clearly indicated by the emergent of black marketers on the roadside near the oil pumps even in Imphal city where police conducting frequent patrolling in the militancy infested state.

It has also been a talk of the city that the patrol pumps have been closed inspite of having enough stocks only to divert the fuels to the black marketers.

The same seems to be true as in the state patrol pumps are not open till late night.

They used to open only at the day time and also closed on the next when they heard of what had happened in the oil depot.

Sources closed to the petrol pump as well as to the black marketers, this correspondent learnt, black marketers buy petrol and diesel from the oil pumps in bulk in collusion with the men at the oil pumps as soon as they got the signal of disturbing in the normal supply of the petrol from the IOC and government oil depots.

Accidentally, this correspondent witnessed transportation of containers filled with petrol from an oil pump in Imphal today even though the pump remaining closed and stick a bill "stock nil" at the counter.

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