IMPHAL, Feb 13: The Consumer Affairs,Food and Public Distribution Minister Moirangthem Okendra has appealed to the public for not panic buying fuel and other essential commodities on the light of the indefinite economic blockade on the two national highways from February 16.
Speaking on the side lines at the ISBT, the Minister said that for the last two days in the state people were panic buying petroleum products by standing in queues at the oil pumps in Imphal from
early morning spending valuable time and other essential commodities.
“The government has enough stocks of petroleum products that will last for 15 days in the case of petrol, enough diesel for 16 days and Kerosene for 25 days. In spite of the economic blockade imposed in the National Highways, the state has enough stocks of petroleum products. The dry-up in the petrol pumps was a co-incident as there was a 48 hours bank strike in which the deport managers failed to take receipts of payment deposited to banks. Unfortunately, two transporters who went for bringing petroleum products to Manipur were also killed at Sibsagar. After the incident, all the transporters decided to cease any activities until the bodies of the departed transporters reached home and their last rite performed as per custom. So we have many loaded petroleum tanks still not unloaded to the depots till today.”