IMPHAL, April 28: The first day of the United Naga Council`s 48-hour total bandh that started from the midnight of April 27, affected normal life in the Naga dominated areas in State.
Vehicular movement in Chandel district came to a grinding halt due to the bandh.
The UNC had called the bandh demanding intervention of the Government of India on the issue of Alternative Arrangement for the Nagas outside the Government of Manipur and the pending Indo-Naga political settlement.
In Chandel district, the bandh was enforced by volunteers of Chandel Naga People`s Organization (CNPO), who blocked the Pallel-Machi road at Tuishimi, Chakpikarong Sub-Divisional road, Imphal-Moreh section of National Highway-102 at Lamkang Khunou and Chandel District Headquarters road at Liwa Changning.
During the bandh, all the roads in the district including the Imphal-Moreh section of NH-2 wore a deserted look as private and commercial vehicles stayed off the roads.
Shops and other commercial establishments in the district headquarters also downed shutters for the day.
However, vehicles carrying patients, religious programmes and other emergency services including media persons were exempted from the purview of the bandh.
Education minister Moirangthem Okendro and his team comprising of MLA of 42 Tengnoupal A/C and SP Chandel coming from Imphal towards Moreh were also detained for a while by the bandh supporters at Lamkang Khunou along Imphal-Moreh Section of National Highway this morning.
Speaking to media persons, CNPO`s information and publicity secretary John Chothe said that the organization fully endorsed the 48-hr bandh called by the UNC in pursuit of its demands.
While appealing all concerned to extend co-operation to the ongoing bandh, he urged the government to consider the demands of the UNC and solve the pending Indo-Naga political issue at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the ongoing total bandh also hit hard normal life in Tamenglong district.
All government offices, business establishments and markets in Tamenglong district Headquarters remained closed for the day.
However, educational institutes remained open.
Passenger services plying along Imphal-Jiribam road, NH-37, Imphal-Tamenglong and Imphal-Tamei road also remained off the road.
Noney Bazar also bore a deserted look though some shops were opened during the course of the bandh. There are also reports of bandh supporters damaging windshields of several private vehicles for defying the bandh call.