IMPHAL, September 2: The State government convened a meeting chaired by Consumer Affairs Food & Public Distribution minister Moirangthem Okendro to review the existing stocks of food grains in godowns owned by FCI and CAF & PD, and the fuel in IOC depots of the State at around 11 am today.
During the meeting, the minister informed of the government’s decision to ration available food grains and fuel in view of the indefinite blockade announced by the United Naga Council.
The stock of food grains like rice at 27,388 MT is estimated to last for 55 days whereas wheat with 3339 MT in stock is estimated to last 91 days and sugar at 550975 MT is estimated to last for nine days, he said.
The minister said the stock of petroleum products like petrol at 1344 KL is estimated to last for 15 days while diesel at 3707 KL is estimated to last 17 days.
The stock of SKO at 2939 KL is estimated to last for 33 days whereas LPG at 619 MT is estimated to last for 6 days, he added.
The decision to ration food grains and petroleum products will come into force with immediate effect till the suspension of the blockade, Okendro said, adding that two loads of petrol and diesel of 12KL and 20KL each shall be allocated to selected retail outlets in the twin districts of Imphal East and West. In the hill districts, the same will be allocated to retail outlets on alternate days, he said.
Appealing the people to refrain from standing in long queues and waiting overnight for petrol in roads, he said the government will provide every needs of the people.
He also appealed the people to report if any police personnel forcibly bought petrol because they can do so in a separate location reserved for them at Tiddim Service.
In every oil pump, police personnel along with CAF & PD officials will be deployed to monitor the daily rationing, he added.
Further appealing the traders to refrain from hiking prices by taking advantage of the indefinite bandh, the PD minister said the Government will distribute rice constituency wise to the people directly while assuring that a stock which will last for 90 days is with the government.
If the need arises, we will bring in fuel through Imphal-Jiribam route till the situation improves, he asserted.
The DGP of Manipur, Shahid Ahmed; CAF & PD commissioner P Vaiphei; CAF & PD director M Yaikul; deputy general manager of FCI, Ksh Thoiba; IOC Imphal’s assistant manager T Dhanabir and Sekami Bottling Plant deputy manager Nandababu attended the meeting.
Why the Govt of Manipur is so 100 years backward to deal with the prevailing circumstances which is also own creation? Why the Govt is not learning any lessons from the past? What all these ministers are busy with actually? Is there anything more important than fighting over ministerial berths and money making? Why every MLA/Minister is so happy to be seen on TV distributing rice and essentials without making the PDS system function on its own?
Why this Govt thinks keeping CrPC 144 for over a month is more stratetic option than investigating the murder of Ngalanzar at Finch corner and coming out with the truth – who is killer? Why does such a high profile murder ends with an official statement of ‘suspected NSCN (IM) hands’ and dont go beyond that? Is this most stable Govt most incapable of handling its own affairs that everytime it runs to Delhi for rescue? Do I need this Govt to continue with such leadeship representing the people? Why is this Govt only interested in constructing buildings, dams, roads and bridges which never get completed and destructing relations and public trust instead of winning trust of the people? Do we need a reality check before we lose everything?
What will the CM of Manipur choose between if he is given a population cheap labourers and a population of aware citizenry?