Trucks from Mizoram ferry fuel from Manipur as NH 306 blockade continues

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Nov. 2 (EMN): With the blockade on National Highway 306, which is the economic lifeline of Mizoram, entering the sixth day, around eight trucks from Mizoram including five oil tankers have arrived in Imphal to ferry cooking gas and fuel on Monday, sources said.

Initially, three LPG trucks arrived at Churachandpur district headquarters on Sunday evening and reached Imphal to ferry filled LPG cylinders from Sekmai bottling plant in the outskirts of Imphal, reports said.

Later, five more oil tankers arrived at the same hill district headquarters on Monday morning, the reports added.

The trucks and oil tankers from Mizoram were ‘accorded warm welcome’ when the truckers arrived at Churachandpur district, sources said.

When contacted, a senior official from the Indian Oil Corporation in Imphal confirmed the arrival of three LPG trucks at Sekmai bottling plant. However, he could not confirm the arrival of oil tankers to lift petrol/diesel from Malom oil depot near Imphal.

Sources in Imphal said that the top officials of Manipur and Mizoram have recently discussed about the transportation of oil and LPG from Manipur for the time being in view of the fresh blockade on highway linking Assam and Mizoram.

Few days ago, Mizoram’s Civil Supplies Minister K Lalrinliana had reportedly flagged off a fleet of trucks from the Ch Saprawnga Truck Terminal to carry oil and gas from Manipur.

Mizoram government is also expecting supplies from the neighbouring state of Tripura as well as Myanmar and Bangladesh if the roadblocks are not cleared.