IMPHAL, August 9: The sudden bandh imposed by the Mao Council from 4 am today at Mao against the killing of NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) S/S lieutenant colonel Pfokrehe James has left many empty fuel tankers which had left Imphal and loaded fuel tankers coming to Imphal stranded on the National Highway (Imphal-Dimapur Road).
Meanwhile, according to a source, the fuel stock at the Imphal IOC depot at Chingmeirong has crossed its reserved limit.
The state is likely to face fuel shortage till August 15 as there are other two more separate bandhs lining up one after another called by the UNC and KSDC with their respective demands starting from the midnight of August 11.
The United Naga Council has announced a 48 hours bandh in all Naga inhabitant areas against the government‘s failure to initiate talks in regard with its “Alternative Arrangement” demand starting from the mid night of August 11.
Further, the Kuki State Demand Committee has also announced another 48 hours bandh in all Kuki inhabitant areas right after the UNC bandh demanding the government to start the ‘political dialogue’ with the Suspension of Order (SoO) agreement signed Kuki militant groups.
Sources said that around 30 empty oil tankers had left from Matripukhri at around 11:30 last night for refilling at Numaligarh in Assam along with CRPF escorts as usual. The CRPF escorts were supposed to escort them till Khwzama in Nagaland.
On the other hand, loaded tankers coming from Dimapur side were supposed to come to Khwzama escorted by CRPF posted at Nagaland. Khwzama is the place where they interchange the security escorts.
However, due to the sudden bandh imposed by Mao Council, around 200 loaded oil tankers are now reportedly left stranded at Khatkhati and Phesama.
If the government does not provide any security escorts and Road Opening Petrol (ROP), the oil tankers will stop its services during the course of the bandhs, said a tanker driver.