Imphal, May 23 2010: Though many oil tankers and gas bullet tankers have arrived in Imphal yesterday and today, the State Government is apparently in a fix not knowing how to distribute the limited stock of petroleum products to the people of Manipur.

It is obvious that the authority has found it difficult to distribute the petroleum products to the people who have been bearing the brunt of acute shortage of the same products for over 40 days.

The Stae Chief Minister, O Ibobi will chair a high level meeting at 7.30 am tomorrow which will discuss the method of distribution of petroleum products to the people.

Cabinet Ministers, representatives of various transport organisations, officials of Indian Oil Coroporation and DGP, Manipur, Y Joykumar will attend the meeting.

As soon as the meeting is over, the Government will take immediate steps to distribute petrol and diesel to the public.

Works Minister K Ranjit told reporters this evening that the sufferings caused by the economic blockade are being faced by not only the people living in the valley areas but also the people living in the hill districts.

Therefore, the high level meeting will discuss distribution of petrol and diesel to the people of the hill areas too.

He said, the Govenment will also formulate a special policy for the school vans, which have stopped transporting students resulting in closure of the schools for early summer vacation, to make fuel available to them.

Minister Ranjit said, the high level meeting will decide ways to end the suspension of inter district bus services and also the passenger services in Imphal city due to non-availablity of petrol and diesel.

Meanwhile, an 11 member delegation of various transport organisations operating in the state met the Chief Minister this evening and discussed the situation of transport prevailing in the state at present.

President of Truck Owners and Drivers' Welfare Association, Ranjit told reporters that the drivers would like to give the credit for bringing the trucks stranded outside Manipur for a long period back to Imphal with heavy security escorts to the Government of Manipur led by Chief Minister O Ibobi.

He said, the trucks did not face much trouble on NH-53 yesterday as a result of the security protection provided by personnel of 4th IRB and ROP conducted by BSF, CRPF, Assam Rifles and Army.

Ranjit said, they want the issue to be solved amicably.

They do not want anything done to hurt the sentiments of any community.

The delegation urged the Chief Minister to provide 24 KLs of diesel to the Manipur Transporters/Drivers' Council so that it could distribute diesel through various tranport societies to the vehicles engaged in passenger service in the state.

The Government has not yet decided when to go and bring back the other trucks stranded outside Manipur.

However, the drivers are always ready to go whenever the government ask them to go in the interest of the people.

Works Minister K Ranjit, Transport Minister L Jayentakumar and Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board,MLA Bijoy Koijam gave Rs 1000 each to Secretary Tomba to be given to those drivers who sustained injuries during the rain of stones and boulders on NH-53 at Noney.

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