Imphal, September 11 2017: In order to effectively address the problem of LPG scarcity before Ningol Chakkouba festival, the State Government has been working to send extra convoys of LPG carriers, informed CAF&PD Minister Karam Shyam.
Talking to this reporter at his office today, Karam Shyam said that the DGP has been instructed to arrange extra convoys of LPG carriers and security escorts so that LPG refills are available adequately before Ningol Chakkouba festival.
The State Government has asked the IOC to ferry adequate quantity of LPG to the State.
The State Government would do what it must and the IOC too should shoulder its due responsibilities, Shyam asserted.
If the IOC has any problem or difficulty, they should convey the same to the State Government.
At the moment, only 100 loaded POL and LPG trucks in a single convoy are escorted by security forces.
But the State Government has issued strict instruction not to place any limit on the number of loaded POL and LPG trucks which can travel in a convoy.
At present, escorted truck convoys move on Imphal-Dimapur highway only four times in a week.
This would be increased to five days in a week for POL and LPG tankers, informed a source .
Meanwhile, bottled LPG cylinders are being ferried from IOC’s gas bottling plants located at Dimapur and Silchar.
Transportation of POL and LPG was severely impeded this year due to heavy rains, frequent floods, landslides, snapping of highways and other disturbances.
As the bulk LPG transportation was severely affected, the Sekmai bottling plant could not meet the State’s LPG requirement.
Apart from Manipur, some other States of the North East region including Assam have been facing shortage of LPG.
This was largely due to flooding of railway tracks in West Bengal and Bihar.
Even though rail connectivity was restored after August 31, the tracks are not stable yet.
As such, procurement of LPG cannot be done to the desired level.
Nonetheless, it is being speculated that LPG procurement to the North East region can be restored to the normal rate from September 15.
Meanwhile, IOC has taken up necessary measures to load Imphal-bound LPG bullets at different LPG loading points located in Assam on priority basis, added the source.
On the other hand, Karam Shyam informed that the existing stock of rice has exceeded the storage capacity of FCI and CAF&PD godowns located at Sangaiprou.
As such, rice is being stocked even at verandahs.
He then asked all concerned to lift rice from the godowns as soon as possible.
Source: The Sangai Express
