Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Manipur petroleum transporters will park their tankers on July 31. The indefinite strike follows a breakdown in talks with state officials over illegal tax collection along National Highway 37. The protest effectively halts fuel supply chains across the state.
Drivers and owners met with Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh at his Mantripukhri office on July 29. The meeting included the Director General of Police, the Home Secretary, and representatives from various fuel associations. Despite government promises to draft new laws against illicit highway fees, the All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association rejected the offer. Association president A. Tamphayai confirmed that the group decided to move forward with the strike because initial discussions failed to solve immediate problems.
The stoppage shuts down operations at the Indian Oil Corporation Limited depot in Malom and the LPG bottling plant in Sekmai. No loading or supply to retail gas agencies will occur. The movement of fuel tankers from Jiribam and empty convoys from New Keithelmanbi will cease. The Chief Minister acknowledged the hardships caused by poor road conditions and landslides on the Imphal-Jiribam route. “The delegation highlighted the challenges posed by poor road conditions and recurring landslides. I assured them that the Government will take prompt and necessary measures to improve safety, strengthen security, and ensure the smooth movement of commuters and transporters along NH-37,” Khemchand Singh stated.
Vehicles stranded on the highway before July 30 may complete their trips. Existing fuel stocks at petrol pumps can be sold until they run dry. The strike also impacts the All Manipur Bharat Petroleum Dealers-cum-Transporters Association, the All Manipur Bulk LPG Transporters Association, the HPCL Dealers Association, and the NAYARA Dealers Association. Transporters claim that systemic illegal taxation triggers artificial inflation, hurting the public. The association originally issued a formal memorandum regarding these grievances on July 15, setting a 15-day window for state intervention.
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