JIRIBAM, October 21: A day after imposing indefinite economic blockade along the National Highway 37 (Imphal-Jiribam road) in protest against the government apathy in meeting its slew of demands regarding lack of infrastructures and transfer of teachers in Jiribam sub-division, the four student unions based in Jiribam namely AMSU District Committee, MSF Special Branch Jiribam, DESAM Local Council and KSA Jiribam Unit intensifying its stir have decided to impose indefinite total bandh along the highway with effect from midnight of October 23.
A decision to this effect was taken during a press meet held at Jiribam this evening wherein representatives of the four students’ unions attended.
During the meet, the student unions stated that the decision of total bandh along the highway was taken as the government has failed to fulfill its long pending demands and further appealed to all against plying vehicles along the highway during the bandh course.
“The restriction will also be applied for railway line construction and BRTF vehicles”, the student bodies declared before cautioning that both the government and the vehicle owners should be responsible for any untoward incident arising out of vehicle owner’s failure to comply with the restriction.
They further appealed to all security forces deployed in the sub-division to extend co-operation to the bandh and not accept monetary offer to escort vehicles plying along the highway.
The role of the security personnel is vital in this regard, they opined.
On the other hand, volunteers of the four students’ unions while checking vehicles during the economic blockade ransacked a Tata truck loaded with essential commodities bearing registration no AS 01R 0735 at Leingangpokpi area yesterday night around 11 pm and another Auto rickshaw bearing registration no MN OR 3060 coming with betel leafs was also vandalized by the volunteers this evening.
The volunteers also conducted checking of vehicles at Tatbung village under Tousem sub-division in Tamenglong district yesterday where they unloaded commodities like betel leaves and banana from vehicles and several vehicles found transporting commodities were made to turn back.
It may be mentioned that the four students’ unions had stated that the government’s decision to bring back only five teachers in Jiribam Government Higher Secondary School does not fulfill its long pending demands as other schools including of lower and higher schools have been also facing shortage of teachers and that the government should also bring back all those teachers who have transferred from Jiribam at the earliest.
Owing to the economic blockade, several Imphal bound loaded vehicles remain stranded at Leingangpokpi area.